THE biggest story last Friday at State House, the venue of the swearing in of the country’s new Vice Presidents, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and Cde Phelekezela Mphoko was not the assumption of office by the duo, but that Zimbabwe’s potential which had been suppressed is now coming to fruition.
Following the political demise of former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her coterie, the divisions, the corruption, the senseless looting and gluttonous plundering of resources that pervaded the country must now be a thing of the past.
These two men have a job to do.
The tasks confronting them are enormous in many ways.
They come into office confronted by the task of restoring investor confidence, uniting the ruling ZANU PF party, delivering to a people whose economy has been battered by sanctions and the ills perpetrated by the extinguished Mujuru faction.
They come to face with the challenge of relieving President Robert Mugabe’s burden of toiling alone for the country.
They come into office to deliver yet another resounding electoral victory for ZANU PF.
Year 2018 is around the corner and the time to prove their mettle is now.
Speaking after the swearing in ceremony, both men acknowledged the enormity of their new tasks.
Vice President Mnangagwa who will continue with his portfolio as Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs said his appointment brought added responsibility to serve the nation.
“I am happy to be the new Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe which means I am now a bigger servant of the people than before,” said VP Mnangagwa.
Vice President Mphoko who, prior to his appointment as third in command had never secured a Cabinet post, said his service in the diplomatic sector was a major advantage.
“It is an honour to be appointed Vice President, but it is also a challenge,” he said. “The experience that I have is going to be helpful in the execution of my assignment as the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
“The President is my torch, I don’t have the command myself, but the command comes from the Head of State.”
It has indeed been a long and somewhat painful wait not only for Zimbabwe, but these two men whose ascendancy was fraught with hurdles that were duly cleared by Zimbabweans through the ZANU PF cleansing process that took place in the run-up to the ruling party’s 6th National People’s Congress.
On Friday, the attention was on them, the story was theirs.
And they are glittering too.
Vice President Mphoko is a politician, diplomat and former military commander.
Born on June 11 1940 in Gwizane, in the then Southern Rhodesia, he served as Ambassador to Russia and to South Africa.

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