EXILED former Cabinet ministers Walter Mzembi and Saviour Kasukuwere have described the late ex-vice-president Phelekezela Mphoko as a worthy successor to former president Robert Mugabe.
Mphoko died on Friday in Bulawayo aged 84 and was declared a national hero.
His daughter Siduduzile yesterday said Mphoko suffered a sudden pulmonary embolism.
“At his last moments, he was with his wife, Mrs Laurinda Mphoko, his two daughters, and his grandson, Daluthando P Mphoko,” she posted on her Facebook page.
Mphoko was appointed vice-president of Zanu PF and the country in December 2014, replacing John Landa Nkomo, who died the previous year.
He was, however, hounded out of office during the November 2017 coup.
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Various stakeholders described Mphoko as a giant, solid and sincere nationalist, with Kasukuwere saying the late former vice-president did not have any dubious credentials.
“He was a leader among many, fair and always ready to speak out against sneaky characters in the party,” Kasukuwere posted on X.
“He was the most senior cadre from the ranks of Zapu and had served in the high command.
“He had also served the country diligently from 1980 and was a worthy successor to VP John Landa Nkomo. Most importantly, he had no dubious credentials.”
Mzembi echoed similar sentiments saying Mphoko was a worthy successor to Mugabe.
“Many don't know though that you were the rightful claimant to the Presidency after Mugabe, but you chose to let go without a contestation to the throne probably too overwhelmed at the time by events and the euphoria and military support of your nemesis,” Mzembi also posted on X.
“ I still can't understand why you were also conveniently absent during the coup, creating a vacuum which we struggled to deal with after your co-pilot ED (Emmerson Mnangagwa) had self-exiled to the Republic of South Africa.”
Zapu Bulawayo provincial secretary Vivian Siziba said there was no doubt Mphoko was very instrumental in the liberation of the country.
"Mphoko would mostly be remembered as one of the dedicated Zapu cadres who served his party’s external wing from total collapse when he chose not to join James Dambaza Chikerema, who betrayed the trust bestowed to him by Zapu and its leader Joshua Nkomo and without any manner of mandate from masses, formed Froliz under the pretext of uniting Zapu and Zanu,” Sithole said.
“Mphoko is among the senior early military cadres who stood by the party and served its external wing of Zapu from total demise.”
Freedom Alliance leader Samukele Hadebe, who is also a public policy analyst, said Mphoko was a source of history of the armed struggle.
“He outlined to me some of the historical issues relating to controversial aspects of the armed struggle, but unfortunately, that history might not get to be written and publicly shared,” Hadebe said.
Educationist and Gukurahundi survivor Ben Moyo described Mphoko as a committed revolutionary at the core of the formation of the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra).
Human rights activist and political analyst Effie Ncube said it was said that the country’s true war history was not well documented as veterans of the struggle such as Mphoko had not written books.
“Sadly, many luminaries are passing on and with them the wealth of knowledge and historical perspectives, leaving future generations poorer.”
Mphoko served as Zimbabwe’s vice-president from 2014 to 2017.
He was targeted by the military when the coup started and had to flee to Botswana at the height of the clampdown.
During the liberation struggle, he was the Zipra's chief logistic officer deputised by the Retired Colonel Thomas Ngwenya.
He once served as Zimbabwe's ambassador to Russia, Botswana and South Africa.