Mphoko Goes Mugabe Way, Snubs Mnangagwa’s Heroes Acre – Eduzim News

By Political Reporter- The family of the late former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has announced that he will not be buried at the National Heroes Acre but instead at his farm, Plot 19 Bulawayo Drive, Douglasdale, Bulawayo.

This decision aligns with Mphoko’s wishes and reflects his family’s commitment to honouring his personal and familial preferences.

Mphoko, who passed away in India, was declared a national hero by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who displaced him in 2017 in a military coup.

His decision to forgo burial at the National Heroes Acre resonates with the burial controversy surrounding the late former President Robert Mugabe, who also refused to be buried at the national shrine after being frustrated by Mnangagwa, who toppled him in a coup.

Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s founding leader, was similarly buried at his rural home in Kutama, Zvimba, after rejecting burial at the National Heroes Acre.

This decision was seen as a symbolic act of defiance against the political establishment led by his successor, Mnangagwa.

The parallels between Mphoko’s and Mugabe’s burial choices highlight the enduring fractures within the country’s ruling elite following the military-led coup in November 2017.

Mphoko served as one of Mugabe’s deputies, along with Mnangagwa, who later displaced him during the coup, which brought him (Mnangagwa) to power.

He was accused of siding with the G40 faction, a group aligned with Mugabe’s wife, Grace Mugabe, and viewed as a political rival to Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction.

Corruption and political marginalisation allegations further compounded Mphoko’s fallout with Mnangagwa’s administration.

After the coup, Mphoko disappeared from public life.

The decision to bury Mphoko at his farm may reflect a broader disenchantment with the National Heroes Acre, which some families view as politically compromised.

For many, the burial site symbolises allegiance to the ruling elite rather than a genuine acknowledgement of one’s contributions to Zimbabwe’s liberation and development.

Related