Obert Mpofu

Personal Details

Born: 12 October 1951. He grew up in the Zambezi Valley, Hwange district in Matabeleland North Province. It is was reported that Mpofu started from humble beginnings. He initially worked as a reporter in Zambia, and as a manager at Zimpapers.

School / Education

Primary:
Secondary:
Tertiary:

• University of Delhi, India - Bachelor of Commerce
• Zimbabwe Open University - PhD in Policy Studies
• University of Zimbabwe - MPS Master in Policy Studies

^[2]

Service / Career

Govt Positions Held

• 1980 - Provincial Member for Matabeleland North
• 1985-Managing Director at Tregers
• 1987 - 1990 Non-constituency Member of Parliament
• 1990 -1995 Bubi-Umguza member of parliament in 1990
• 1989 - present Owner | Green Haven
• 1991 - 1993 Director | Affretair
• 1991 - present Board Member | Air Zimbabwe
• 1991 - present Consultant | Radar Holdings (Pvt) Ltd
• 1995 - 1999 Member of Parliament | Bubi-Umguza Constituency
• 1995 - 1999 Deputy Minister | Industry of Commerce | Zimbabwe Government Government, Public Administration and Defence^[2]
• 2000 - Minister of Industry and International Trade
• 2000 - Governor of Matabeleland^[3]
• 2008 - Seat in the House of Assembly in Matabeleland
• 2009 - Minister of Mines
• 2014 - Minister of Transport and Infrastructure
• 2015 - Minister of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion
• 2017 -Minister of Home Affairs

^[4]

His earliest political activity was during his teenage days when he was an occasional messenger passing information between the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) comrades in the country and those in neighbouring Zambia. He eventually got an opportunity for military training under Alfred Nikita Mangena but was quickly dismissed for allegedly being untrainable and divisive. He broke ties with ZAPU and went on to join the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu PF).

In the Zimbabwe 1985 Parliamentary Election, Hwange/Tsholotsho returned to Parliament:

• David Joseph Mfanyana Kwidini of PF-ZAPU - 29 538 votes.
• Obert Moses Mpofu of Zanu PF - 5 926 votes.

In the 2000 Parliamentary Election (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bubi-Mguza returned to Parliament:

• Jacob Thabani Mabikwa of MDC with 12 837 votes,
• Obert Mpofu of Zanu-PF with 6 645 votes,
• Rueben Donga of ZAPU with 1 272 votes,
• Mark Harold Ncube of LPZ with 889 votes,
• Canaan Calisto Ndebele of Liberty Party with 223 votes.

In the 2013 Elections, (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Umguza returned to Parliament:

• Obert M. Mpofu of Zanu PF with 16 025 votes or 68.26 percent,
• Edmond L Masuku of MDC-T with 5 387 votes or 22.94 percent,
• Leornard K Mhlanga of MDC with 1 330 votes or 5.66 percent,
• Mark Mbayiwa of ZAPU with 736 votes or 3.13 percent,.

Total 23 478 votes

Nomination Court 2023

The ZEC list of candidates for the August 2023 elections for Matabeleland North have been released. ^[5]

Senate

CCC	MDC-T	Zanu PF	ZAPU
Anastasia Moyo	Chezha Chinyani	Alice Dube	Ruthia Tshuma
Joel Gabuza Gabbuza	Shadreck Dube	Obert Mpofu	Victor Mkwanazi
Tendai Sibanda	Jescar Sibanda	Rebecca Fanuel	Sakhile Sithole
Dalumuzi Khumalo	Salvation Nyoni	Headman Moyo	Sibangilizwe Moyo
Patricia Mwale	Tryfn Moyo	Donnie Sibanda	Oline Sibanda
Ishumael Dube	Vusani Tshuma	Fati Mpofu	Busani Ngwenya

Events

Declaration of Source of Wealth

Quizzed on how he acquired his wealth, Mpofu argued that he had accumulated riches through clean deals and hardwork. He claimed that he got a golden handshake whilst working for a Zanu PF owned company Tregers in the late 1980s.^[6]

In March 2018 he further denied receiving bribes from anyone and challenged anyone to come forward who thought otherwise.

I have worked hard with my family to be where I am and I do not owe anybody anything and I appeal to anybody who thinks he gave me or bribed me to come forward and tell the public about it as I have never, in my whole life, received anything from anybody as an inducement for I do not need anything from anybody.

I am aware of the nonsense that has been peddled by political and social opponents who feel challenged by my successes. I am proud of what I have and no one will take away what I have sweated for because I have worked for everything I have. The most expensive asset I have is the famous seven-storey York House building which the family bought from Old Mutual in 1998. The Victoria Falls nonsense that I own the whole or most of it is as stupid as the idiots who are peddling it. Can they list those assets so that I can take ownership of them if they ever exist.

Obert Mpofu Opens Up On Source Of Wealth

Business Interests as Minister of Mines

Obert Mpofu was accused of being corrupt during his tenure as Minister of Mines. It was reported that he acquired his wealth through corrupt activities. The minister allegedly own half the town of Victoria Falls and has interests in companies such as Trebo, Khayas, Maminza Transport, Khanondo Safari and Tours, Khanondo Car Hire, Horseshow Estate, KoMpofu La Sports Bar, Luna Rainbow Tours, Guest Paradise Lodge, Good Memories Lodge, Mswelangubo Farm, New Miners Restaurant (Hwange), Accut and Crews Village, Moya Security and Matetsi Meat Butchery.^[4] The Umguza legislator has also been linked with a local bank called ZABG in which he is rumoured to have a controlling stake in the financial institution. He was the owner of Allied Bank but the bank was forced to hand over its license to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe after it faced several constraints ranging from liquidity challenges and failure to meet minimum capital requirements.

Mpofu was also reported to be the owner of a local newspaper called the Zimbabwe Mail. The paper was also said to have been facing serious operational challenges and had gone for several months without paying rentals leading to their eviction from the building they were renting.^[7]

Farm Mechanisation Scheme

In July 2020, Obert Moses Mpofu was listed, in the BSR of 18 July 2020, as a beneficiary in the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, as a result of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.

The data is analysed by recipients origin:.

• Mashonaland provinces had the most beneficiaries, both in terms of numbers and value.
  

Mashonaland East got US$47,5 million,
Mashonaland West US$44,7 million
Mashonaland Central had US$34,2 million.

• Two Matebeleland provinces had a combined total of US$13,9 million.
• Masvingo US$26,4 million,
• Manicaland US$18 million
• Midlands US$14 million.

Obert Moses Mpofu is listed under the thematic group “Politicians”. What he got is equipment worth US$383,796.00. ^[8]

Esidakeni Farm

Esidakeni Farm (formerly Kershelmar Farm, of Kershelmar Dairys) was purchased in 2017 by Siphosami Malunga (Director of Initiative for Southern Africa), Zephaniah Dhlamini (scientist and university lecturer ), and Charles Moyo (businessman). The state then acquired the farm in 2020 via a Notice of Acquisition General Notice 3042 that appeared in a government gazette.

Malunga had set aside the land for landless villagers in Umguza. Obert Mpofu (former Minister of Home Affairs) and his wife Sikhanyisiwe, occupied 145 hectares of the contested 550 hectares of the farm and put guards at the gate.

Sponsored Trip and as Minister of Infrastructure

He was investigated for allegedly smuggling television sets into [Zimbabwe]]. In his role as Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, the minister proposed the phasing out of kombis to pave way for more affordable transport facilities like buses to de-congest the central business district. Allegations were flying around that the bus company to replace the kombis has strong links to Obert Mpofu. ^[9]Mpofu was also accused of accepting a well-sponsored trip to Bulgaria from a Balkan Airlines representative at the then Harare International Airport

Lawsuit

In March 2018 it was reported that a Zimbabwean Court ordered Mpofu and Godwin Matanga to pay more than $30 000 as compensation to some villagers, whose property and homesteads were demolished during forced evictions instigated by the country’s former First Lady Grace Mugabe in 2015. The report read:

In January 2015, ZRP officers raided and demolished the Mazowe villagers’ homesteads at Manzou Farm, in Mazowe District in Mashonaland Central province, where they resided without obtaining a court order to justify the forced evictions. During the forced evictions, the ZRP officers destroyed homesteads, household furniture and the villagers’ crop produce including maize grain and groundnuts.

This prompted the villagers, who sought the services of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) to petition the Bindura Magistrates Court seeking various orders for payment of damages for the destruction of their homesteads and property.

In the summons filed in 2015 at Bindura Magistrates Courts, the villagers argued that in destroying their homesteads and evicting them, the ZRP officers violated their fundamental rights including their right to property, guaranteed under section 71 of the Constitution and their right to freedom from arbitrary eviction provided under Section 74 of the Constitution. The malicious damage to their property, the villagers also argued, was in violation Section 219 of the Constitution, which provides that the country’s Police Service is responsible for protecting and securing the lives and property of people and upholding the Constitution. The villagers, who were represented by Noble Chinhanu of ZLHR, also argued that together with their children, they suffered great humiliation, shock, trauma as a result of the destruction of their homesteads and property and endured emotional suffering and physical hardship after being rendered homeless and at the mercy of the elements.

This week (2018), judicial officers at Bindura Magistrates Court started handing down judgments in favour of the Mazowe villagers, who sued Mpofu, Matanga and six ZRP officers namely Inspector Munetsi, Constable Simbanegavi, Constable Machekecha, Constable Mataruse, Constable Ngunda and Constable Mapuranga, all based at Mazowe Police Station, who were part of the ZRP contingent, which tormented the Manzou Farm dwellers.

Some of the villagers, who have already been granted judgments of varying amounts in their favour include Leonard Mukoore, King Makosa, Esther Mushukuti, Alec Kamonera, Jona Zomba, Jerina Tope, Stella Mucharehwa, Elizabeth Mutsau, Media Kapfumba, Ranganai Chibundu, Yeukai Dube, Chipo Fote, Tapiwa Dhaisi and Pearson Matema.

Judgments for the other remaining villagers will be handed down this month.

ENDS Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Kodzero/Amalungelo House No. 103 Sam Nujoma (2nd Street), Harare, Zimbabwe Phone: (+263 8677005347, +263 4 764085/705370/708118 Email: info@zlhr.org.zw www.zlhr.org.zw FOLLOW US:@ZLHRLAWYERS ON TWITTER | ZIMBABWE LAWYERS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON FACEBOOK ^[10]

Response to Externalisation of Funds Allegations

In March 2018, after the release of externalised funds list, Mpofu reportedly responded to critics on why his name did not appear on the list. He indicated that neither him nor his family owned any foreign account or done any foreign transactions.

I and my family nor my business have never (sic) maintained a foreign account or acquired any immovable asset outside the country. Please go through the list of the looters and you will never see anything associated with me or my family in it to the great disappointment of prophets of doom.

Awards

• Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation Scholarship
• International University Exchange Fund Scholarship

Trivia

Philanthropy

Despite being accused of 'practising vulture capitalism', Mpofu has done some charitable work around the country especially in the Matabeleland Province. Together with his wife they have donated tonnes of grain to 600 families in the district of Ntabazinduna.^[4] He has also on numerous occasions been said to be the patron of financially troubled Highlanders Football Club, and also pays for the school fees of several underprivileged children in Primary School in his Province.

Luxury Life style

Mpofu was reported to own luxurious properties and one such property is his flamboyant rural mansion in village 4 Nyamandlovu which many reports indicated is no match for his other luxurious properties elsewhere which are allegedly only rivalled by those which appear on MTV and other television magazine programmes. ^[11]

Mpofu divulged that he owns a number of properties in the country. These include the popular York House, a house in Greystone Park, another one in Borrowdale and many other properties in the city. Mpofu also admitted that he owns several houses in Victoria Falls which he said are used to accommodate his workers. Besides properties, he professed that he is one of the biggest cattle ranchers in Zimbabwe with a herd of about 4 000 and has also been leasing Cold Storage Commission farms in Matabeleland. Mpofu was cornered to declare assets after his claims in the court that he was "too rich to take bribes" He had made the statements in a case of alleged corruption in which he was being accused of demanding a bribe of US$10 million from aspiring investors in the Ministry of Mines. ^[12]

References