Looters were after beer, claims Mphoko

Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has claimed that looters during protests are steal alcoholic beverages from shops and  attack 'ordinary men and women selling tomatoes in the streets".

Mphoko's own business empire, Choppies was looted last week in Harare.

 He mocked opposition leaders who are spearheading the protests as "spineless".

"At times people do unimaginable things under the cover of so-called peaceful demonstrations. People who are mostly being attacked by these rowdy youths during these violent protests are ordinary men and women selling tomatoes in the streets," he told a handful of women during his day old chicks donation spree.

He added, "They are saying these are peaceful demonstrations, but they are busy barricading roads using stones and burning tyres. So how peaceful is that when you go on to loot shops and steal alcoholic beverages?".

Mphoko says looting is an act of robbery.

"What is that? Is it politics? In fact, that is daylight robbery and theft and whoever is leading these protests should re-examine himself or herself because this is laughable. You cannot call that politics, and I believe a politician should be a politician. A real politician deals with real political issues not criminal issues to survive in politics," the Vice President said.