About a month ago, Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko gave what seemed to be a cryptic interview, where he spoke about Adonijah and Joab, Biblical characters that most of us last heard of in Sunday school or during what was then called Religious and Moral Education.
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There, without being obvious, he was chastening an Adonijah for celebrating his impending succession of his father’s throne on the advice of Joab.
Most people dismissed that interview and Mphoko too, but there seemed to be a method to the madness, which became quite clear when First Lady Grace Mugabe alluded to the same biblical story last Thursday and Saturday, advising that like King David, Mugabe should be involved in choosing his successor.
Mphoko was simply doing his master’s bidding, and was laying the path for President Robert Mugabe and Grace to pronounce themselves on the succession issue, thereby, dealing his counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa — often regarded as the heir apparent — a massive blow.
From the biblical tale, it is now becoming clear that the Adonijah — who slaughtered beasts and threw a party thinking he was on the verge of succeeding King David — who is being referred to is Mnangagwa, while Joab, his adviser, could mean the security chiefs, who Mugabe also chided on Thursday.
A biblical character called Jonathan is the one who delivers the message to Adonijah that King David had settled for Solomon rather than him as his successor.
And whether by some strange twist of fate, his namesake, Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo, has been telling all who care to listen that Mnangagwa is not the chosen successor.
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How the succession issue will play out is anyone’s guess, but it is becoming clear that Mnangagwa has it all to do if he is to become the next President of this country.
Mugabe’s art has often been said to be his ability to play factions in his party for his benefit, but now he is painting his masterpiece, which could leave many people shocked.
The President has often passed hints on his thoughts, but it seems we have been far too consumed by what we think he wants rather than what he actually desires, with Mphoko always his willing messenger.
Last year, at one of Grace’s numerous rallies, Mphoko came out to say that tribe was not a qualifier for one to be the next President.
This was after some political players were saying since Mugabe — a Zezuru — had been in charge, it was time for another tribe — ostensibly a Karanga — to succeed him, opening the door for Mnangagwa.
Mphoko was ridiculed and it did not help matters that after the rally, a song with the lyrics “Zezuru unconquerable” was played.
Shortly after the hullaballoo, Mugabe picked up the tribalism motif, saying there was nowhere where they fought for people to be in power based on tribe, a mild rebuke at those who were calling for a Karanga to succeed him.
Mphoko also became the butt of the worst jokes two years ago when he allegedly stormed a police station to order the release of some Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) officials, who had been arrested.
To the lay person, there was no reason for a Vice-President to go bellicose and storm a police station to release suspects in the dead of the night.
But then again, there was a method to the madness.
According to the Blue Ocean strategy, which was allegedly written by war veterans’ leadership — an accusation the former freedom fighters have denied strenuously — part of the efforts to tarnish Grace’s image was to play on her alleged links to a $2 million scandal involving Zinara.
Incidentally, one of the accused was Davison Norupiri, the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce president, whose organisation awarded Grace the 2015 Outstanding Value Addition Investment Award.
Norupiri has reportedly made some donations to Grace and it will not be too farfetched to assume that his arrest may have exposed the First Lady or was in furtherance of the Blue Ocean strategy.
Thus, Mphoko had to act. Whether it harmed his reputation or not, in his mind at least, what was foremost was that he was he was protecting the First Family, something his patron would have obviously appreciated.
In April, when votes of no-confidence motions against Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kaukuwere were in vogue, Mphoko bucked the trend, insisting the beleaguered Local Government minister had done nothing wrong and those calling for his ouster were not members of Zanu PF.
I can never know where Mphoko got the confidence to say that, but just last Thursday, Mugabe said no one he appointed could be subject to a vote of no-confidence motion, meaning the demonstrations against Kasukuwere were literally a nullity.
Mphoko may not be the most politically sophisticated man, but it becoming clear that he is Mugabe’s go-to demolition man.
When the stakes are high, Mphoko seems to be the preferred person to make statements that I believe could be indicative of Mugabe’s mentality at the time.
Mphoko owes his unexpected rise to power to Mugabe and it is easy to see why he would serve the President diligently and loyally throughout.
Because of his lack of sophistry and lack of experience in government, it is easy to write him off as a pretender, but as much as some may not like it, I think it is important to listen to what he has to say and maybe we can get a clue on what Mugabe is thinking.
Mphoko is a typical company man, loyal to the death and has not exhibited any leadership ambitions, something which may endear him to the President.
To paraphrase a report from The Source last year, Mugabe likes his officials “quiet, obedient” and Mphoko fits the bill.
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