'Mnangagwa, Mphoko do no inspire confidence'

ZIMBABWE's political and economic woes will likely continue even after President Robert Mugabe leaves office as the two Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko have shown lack of capacity, as reflected by their public disposition since assuming office, analysts have said.

Since their appointment into the presidium during the highly disputed congress last year, Mphoko and Mnangagwa have taken turns to utter controversial statements which what observers say were "political own-goals" that do not inspire hope for the country.

Last weekend, Mnangagwa unwittingly exposed the party's intent of rigging the forthcoming Chirumanzu-Zibagwe elections, saying the electorate would be forced to vote for his wife.

He revealed that voters would be led to polling stations by traditional chiefs, party ward chairpersons and councillors to vote for his wife Auxillia. He also urged his supporters to deny the chance to vote to perceived Zanu-PF enemies.

Mphoko on the other hand, touched the raw nerves of vendors around the country when he challenged them to look for something better to do. He was to make more enemies when he courted the ire of many Zimbabweans when he claimed that the post-independence Matabeleland genocide, commonly referred as Gukurahundi, was not an act of the Zanu-PF government, but a western conspiracy.