Choppies insists Mphoko not majority shareholder

Retailer, Choppies, is looking at nearly doubling its stores in Zimbabwe on the back of anticipated economic "boom" in the short to medium term, an official has said. Choppies, which is head-quartered in Botswana operates 34 outlets and is looking to open an additional 26 shops countrywide, including in areas where it has limited presence, Ramachandran Ottapathu, the chief executive officer said.

Choppies is currently embroiled in a shareholding wrangle with Zimbabwe's former vice president Phelekezela Mphoko, who is claiming to be the majority shareholder in the supermarket chain.

That is being disputed by Choppies, a company registered in Botswana, which is insisting Mphoko was merely used as proxy to circumvent the country's indigenisation laws.