VP Mphoko should aid national healing, not stoke the fires

The Standard

May 17 2015

VICE-President Phelekezela Mphoko is quite a curious character who appears unable to live without stirring controversy.

Almost every time he opens his mouth in the discharge of duty as bearer of the second highest office on the land, Mphoko lands himself neck-deep in controversy.

What makes his behaviour disturbing is that his pronouncements cannot always be blamed on the slip of a tongue, as happened two days ago when he let go a boob, chanting a slogan exalting former Vice-President Joice Mujuru when he meant to sing praises for First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Mphoko is in the habit of making disturbing statements that have raised a lot of questions about his character and his suitability for office.

Last week, he repeated his controversial claim that the massacre of thousands of civilians by government forces in Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces in the early 80s, was a “Western project”.

Mphoko said, without giving any supporting evidence that Mugabe who described Gukurahundi as “a moment of madness”, had nothing to do with the atrocities that were perpetrated by the North Korean trained 5 Brigade.

He piled blame on unnamed foreign powers without explaining what form the “Western conspiracy” took or how it led our own government to unleash terror and mayhem on its own people, including Mphoko’s former boss the late VP Joshua Nkomo.

Last week he also hogged the limelight for reminding an overzealous Pyschomotor minister Josaya Hungwe that he was not junior to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Hungwe had introduced him as second Vice-President.

As a diplomat, Mphoko should know the importance of keeping his mouth shut, even if he holds strong views about a certain subject. Denying that Gukurahundi ever happened in Zimbabwe is “historical revisionism at its worst,” former Education minister David Coltart observed recently. Such an unwarranted statement is an insult to victims and to families that lost their loved ones when an estimated 20 000 innocent people were killed. Mphoko’s denial can therefore never be helpful in a country that is desperate for national healing.

As Vice-President, Mphoko should strive to heal wounds rather than to rub salt to the injury. We expect him to show leadership rather than to be perpetually seized with matters that have a potential to divide Zimbabweans.