mbulelo smpofu
Raymond Jaravaza, raymondjaravaza@gmail.com
FORMER Vice-President, Cde Phelekezela Mphoko, died in India yesterday afternoon at the age of 84 while receiving medical treatment.
Acknowledging his dedicated contributions to Zimbabwe’s liberation and growth, the Zanu-PF Politburo promptly honoured him by declaring him a national hero.
He is survived by wife, Laurinda, three children, Sikhumbuzo, Siduduzo and Siqokoqela, as well as several grandchildren.
Family member Velile Mphoko said the former Vice-President’s wife and children were in Dubai and preparing to fly back home.
“Senior family members have instructed us not to allow anyone into the house,” he told Saturday Chronicle at the Mphoko family home in Douglasdale suburb, Bulawayo, yesterday evening.
President Mnangagwa expressed deep grief and sadness at the passing of the former Vice-President.
“A veteran of our Liberation Struggle, Cde Mphoko’s political and military history coincides with the early days of militant nationalism against white settler colonialism, which later morphed into the armed Liberation Struggle. He was among its early architects, brave fighters, and formative commanders,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President stressed that the national hero’s contribution to the liberation struggle can hardly be overstated.
“Trained in many countries, including in the then Soviet Union, Cde Mphoko specialised in logistics, an onerous and sensitive responsibility which ensured huge consignments of assortments of arms of war were moved to different bases in the rear, and the war front inside the country in order to maintain the momentum of the Armed Liberation Struggle and to exert ever-mounting pressure on the settler regime until final victory.
“A versatile cadre, Cde Mphoko would later join Zapu’s liaison department, a role which took him to Maputo, Mozambique, where the then Zanu was headquartered.
We worked very closely with him, laying the groundwork and anticipating the eventual convergence of the two liberation movements into the Patriotic Front,” said President Mnangagwa.
He noted that Cde Mphoko’s latter career as an ambassador was moulded by his early exposure to diplomacy during the liberation struggle.
“It was an illustrious career which peaked with his appointment as Zimbabwe’s ambassador to various key countries, including the Russian Federation. On behalf of the Party Zanu-PF, Government, my family, and on my behalf, I wish to express my deepest, heartfelt condolences to the Mphoko family, especially to Mrs Mphoko and the children, on this their saddest loss,” said the President.
In recognition of Cde Mphoko’s meritorious role of service to his country, the former Vice -President has been declared a national hero.
“The Zanu-PF Politburo has unanimously decided and agreed to celebrate and immortalise his life of sacrifice by according him the status of National Hero. May his dear soul rest in eternal peace.”
Cde Mphoko was appointed Vice-President in 2014, replacing Cde John Landa Nkomo, who died in 2013.
Cde Mphoko was born on June 11, 1940, at Gwizane in Bubi District, Matabeleland North.
The former Vice-President was arrested in 1963 for political violence after lashing out at a Rhodesian police officer who had set his dog on him and fellow youths.
He was sentenced to three years in jail and sent to Khami Prison.
He was a delegate at the Cold Comfort Farm People’s Caretaker Council Congress in the same year.
The Congress created a Special Affairs Department and decided on an external wing of Zapu that would plan and direct the armed struggle.
Under the Special Affairs programme, Cde Mphoko, along with Albert Nxele, Walter Mbambo, and Sam Dumaza Mpofu, was selected by Zapu leader Cde Joshua Nkomo to go for military training.
On April 4, 1964, while awaiting a retrial, Cde Mphoko left Zimbabwe as part of a group of six and received military training in the Soviet Union between May 1964 and February 1965.
In March 1965, he created the first military command structure, the Military Planning Committee, to plan and direct the armed struggle. He was one of the first seven commanders commissioned by the revolution and the political leadership to recruit, train, and command Zimbabweans into a revolution for the liberation of Zimbabwe.
In 1967, he became a member of the Joint Military Command in charge of Logistics and Supply in the ANC/Zapu Alliance. He commanded the Joint Military rehearsals for the Wankie operations at Dan Nang base, Luthuli Camp, which included South African freedom fighters Joe Modise and Chris Hani, who was the commander of the Detachment, among others. In 1967 and 1968, he operated in Sipolilo (now Guruve) together with Modise, Abraham Nkiwane, Dumiso Dabengwa and others.
In 1976, he was a delegate at the formation of the Patriotic Front in Maputo, Mozambique, with Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo, George Silundika, and Joseph Msika.
In 1977, Cde Mphoko attended the OAU Adhoc Committee of Foreign Ministers in Luanda, Angola, with Cdes Msika and Silundika.
In 1979, he attended the Lancaster House Peace Talks as a military delegate.
In 1980, Cde Mphoko was appointed as a Special Envoy for Dr Joshua Nkomo to President Samora Machel of Mozambique, King Sobhuza II of Swaziland, Chief Leabuwa Jonathan of Lesotho, President Fidel Castro of Cuba, and Eric Honneker of the German Democratic Republic.
He served in the sub-committee that designed the national flag of the new Republic of Zimbabwe.
In 1981, Cde Mphoko worked in the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare as Deputy Director for Demobilisation.
In 1987, he was transferred to the diplomatic service, with junior stints in Mozambique as Liaison Officer, and in 1996, he was appointed Liaison Officer to Austria, also covering the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation.
In 2002, he was appointed Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Botswana, before becoming Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation.
