Wenslus Murape
Sunday Mail Reporters
TRIBUTES continue to pour in for former Vice President and decorated liberation war hero Cde Phelekezela Report Mphoko , who passed away in India on Friday.
He was 84.
The late national hero, described as a patriot who dedicated his life to Zimbabwe’s development before and after independence, died after a long illness. Preparations are underway to repatriate his body.
Leading the tributes yesterday, Vice President Kembo Mohadi described Cde Mphoko as a true patriot and a tireless worker for Zimbabwe.
In a statement through Dr Clever Chirume, the Chief of Staff in his office, VP Mohadi said: “We received the news of the passing on of Cde Mphoko with shock and sadness.”
VP Mohadi said he worked closely with former VP Mphoko “both during the liberation struggle and after the struggle”.
He praised his active role in ZANU PF’s decisive victory in the 2023 harmonised elections, underscoring his unqualified support at campaign rallies.
“The former VP Mphoko never missed a single rally addressed by His Excellency, President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa. Despite the schedule for the rallies being hectic, Cde Mphoko was always there with everyone to see to it that the party succeeded. We say lala kuhle qawe la maqawe.”
A great loss
Speaking to The Sunday Mail yesterday, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Brigadier-General (Retired) Ambrose Mutinhiri, described Cde Mphoko’s death as a monumental loss.
“He was a very dedicated patriot,” he said.
“I worked with him from the early 1960s until he rose to be Vice President. He always put the country first. His passing on is a great loss to the country.”
In a separate interview, ZANU PF Secretary-General Dr Obert Mpofu reflected on Cde Mphoko’s sacrifices and leadership during the liberation struggle and beyond.
“As comrades, we received the news of the death of the commander with shock and great sadness,” said Dr Mpofu.
“We affectionately called him ‘Ri’, short for ‘Report’.
“I first met him in Zambia in 1967 at Luthuli Camp, where he was among the first commanders responsible for logistics and weapon handling. He was among the first group of people to go to war around 1964 and he became one of the commanders.
“He loved his people and country so much that he sacrificed his life and joined the liberation struggle. I spent a lot of time with him, together with other commanders who were responsible for recruiting liberation struggle fighters.
“Cde Mphoko was later posted to Mozambique in 1976 and was one of the commanders tasked to ensure ZANLA and ZIPRA join forces.
“After independence, he worked tirelessly for the development of the country as ambassador and later as the Vice President of the country.”
Dr Mpofu also described the late former Vice President as a devout Seventh Day Adventist, who expressed the love of his country and people through taking photographs, a hobby he enjoyed since the liberation struggle.
“The late former Vice President was also fond of photographs,” added Dr Mpofu.
“Even during the liberation struggle, when I arrived in Zambia, he was already known for his love of photographs.
“He always carried his camera with him and would take photographs of almost everything and everyone.
“Even during his tenure as Vice President, he would carry his camera with him, and he would take photographs with many people.
“I recently saw him during the ZANU PF National People’s Conference that we held in Bulawayo and we met President ED Mnangagwa. He seemed fit; he was in a jovial mood.”
In a statement, former Minister in Cde Mphoko’s office, Mrs Tabetha Kanengoni-Malinga, said: “It is with profound sadness and a deep sense of loss that I learned of the untimely passing of the late former Vice President, Report Phelekezela Mphoko.
“I had the distinct honour of serving as Minister of State in his office, a role through which I came to know him not only as a visionary leader but also as a compassionate and principled man who dedicated much of his life to liberating Zimbabwe from colonial rule.
“During my time working closely with Vice President Mphoko, I was profoundly moved by his tireless efforts to address the pressing needs of our people.
“He worked relentlessly to promote national peace, reconciliation and equitable development.”
Illustrious life
Cde Mphoko was born on June 11, 1940 in Gwizane, Bubi district, Matabeleland North province.
His early education took him to David Livingstone Memorial School in Ntabazinduna and Mzilikazi High School in Bulawayo.
He later pursued agricultural studies at the Tsholotsho Agricultural Breeding and Experimental School between1959 and 1960.
After school, Cde Mphoko was employed by Dunlop Rhodesia Ltd between 1962 and 1963, and was a workers’ representative in the moulding section.
Cde Mphoko’s political activism began in the early 1960s, culminating in his arrest in 1963 for political violence after standing up to the Rhodesian police.
That same year, he became part of the ZAPU external wing under the leadership of Cde Joshua Nkomo, which planned and directed the armed struggle.
In 1964, he underwent military training in the Soviet Union, where he helped create the first military command structure for the liberation struggle.
Cde Mphoko was one of the first seven commanders commissioned to recruit, train and command Zimbabweans in 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 the Dan Nang base, Luthuli Camp, which included South African freedom fighters Joe Modise and Chris Hani, who was the commander of the detachment.
In 1976, he was a delegate at the formation of the Patriotic Front in Maputo, Mozambique, with Cdes Jason Moyo, George Silundika and Joseph Msika.
In 1977, Cde Mphoko attended the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) ad hoc Committee of Foreign Ministers in Luanda, Angola, with Cdes Joseph Msika and George Silundika.
In 1979, he attended the Lancaster House peace talks as a military delegate.
VP Mphoko was in 1980 appointed 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 Zimbabwe national flag.
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.
He had stints in Mozambique as liaison officer.
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.
Between 1996 and 1999, Cde Mphoko did advanced courses in semen collection, artificial insemination and embryo transfer at the Institute of Genetics, Austria.
In 2002, he was appointed Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Botswana, before becoming Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation.
In 2010, he was appointed Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa.
On December 10, 2014, he was appointed Vice President by the late former President Cde Robert Mugabe, alongside Cde Mnangagwa, who is now President.
The late former President Mugabe assigned Cde Mphoko the ministerial portfolio of National Healing, Peace and Reconciliation.
He was sworn in as Vice President on December 12, 2014.
On July 6, 2015, he assigned Cde Mphoko the responsibility of coordination and implementation of policy.
He ceased to be Vice President in November 2017 after the political transition that birthed the Second Republic.
Cde Mphoko is survived by his wife Laurinda and three children — Sikhumbuzo, Siduduzo and Siqokoqela — as well as three grandchildren.
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