Obert Mpofu

{{Short description|Member of the Cabinet of Zimbabwe}} {{EngvarB|date=May 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder |honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable |name = Obert Mpofu |honorific_suffix = MP |image = |image_size = 150px

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|10|12|df=y}} |birth_place = Southern Rhodesia |death_date = |death_place = |party = ZANU-PF |children = Bukhosie Mkhokheli }} '''Obert Moses Mpofu''' (born 12 October 1951) is a Zimbabwean politician, currently serving as the Secretary for Information Communication Technology (ICT) of the majority ZANU-PF political party. From December 2018 to September 2025 he served as the Secretary General of ZANU-PF. He previously had been a member of parliament and a cabinet member. He was Minister of Home Affairs from 2017 to September 2018,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.herald.co.zw/breaking-president-mugabe-reshuffles-cabinet/|title=Cabinet reshuffled • 10 ministers reassigned new portfolios • Eight new appointments, 3 dropped|newspaper=The Herald|date=2017-10-10|access-date=2017-10-10}}</ref> and before that was Minister of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion; Minister of Industry and International Trade; Minister of Mines and Mining Development; and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development. He was Minister of Home Affairs when the Cabinet of Zimbabwe was dissolved on 27 November 2017,<ref name=nov27dissolve>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/headlines/mnangagwa-dissolves-cabinet-chinamasa-appointed-acting-finance-minister/|title=Mnangagwa dissolves cabinet, Chinamasa appointed Acting Finance Minister|author=Staff Reporter|date=27 November 2017}}</ref> but he was reappointed as Minister of Home Affairs and Culture in Mnangagwa's first cabinet on 30 November 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/main/mnangagwa-announces-new-cabinet/|title=Mnangagwa announces new Cabinet|publisher=Zimbabwe Mail|date=30 November 2017|access-date=1 December 2017|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201001137/http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/main/mnangagwa-announces-new-cabinet/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Mpofu was removed from the Zimbabwe cabinet in September 2018.<ref name="Kuwaza-2018">{{Cite news|last=Kuwaza |first=Kudzai |date=14 September 2018 |title=New cabinet an average team |newspaper=The Independent |url=https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2018/09/14/new-cabinet-an-average-team/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914060918/https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2018/09/14/new-cabinet-an-average-team/ |archive-date=14 September 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Personal life== Obert Mpofu was a member of the Hwange community, he grew up in Matabeleland North Province in Jambezi Village in the Zambezi Valley of Hwange District. He was the younger brother of Robert Moses Mpofu, a war hero from the Zimbabwe War of Independence.<ref name="RM-Mpofu-obit">{{Cite news|title=Liberation Hero Cde Robert Mpofu laid to rest in emotional send-off |date=22 September 2025 |newspaper=The Herald |location=Harare, Zimbabwe |url=https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/liberation-hero-cde-robert-mpofu-laid-to-rest-in-emotional-send-off/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250922202054/https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/liberation-hero-cde-robert-mpofu-laid-to-rest-in-emotional-send-off/ |archive-date=22 September 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref> Obert Mpofu also served in the Zimbabwe War of Independence crossing over into Zambia in 1967 to be trained,<ref name="RM-Mpofu-obit" /> although he primarily served as a messenger.<ref name="Nehanda-Radio-2012">{{Cite news|title=From Rags to Riches - The Obert Mpofu Story |date=16 November 2012 |newspaper=Nehanda Radio |url=https://nehandaradio.com/2012/11/16/from-rags-to-riches-the-obert-mpofu-story/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170209132309/http://nehandaradio.com/2012/11/16/from-rags-to-riches-the-obert-mpofu-story/ |archive-date=9 February 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref>

He received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Delhi, MPS Masters in Policy Studies from the University of Zimbabwe, and a PhD in Policy Studies from Zimbabwe Open University.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Obert Mpofu (Obert Moses Mpofu) |publisher=Who's Who of Southern Africa |url=https://whoswho.co.za/obert-mpofu-3566 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816063131/https://whoswho.co.za/obert-mpofu-3566 |archive-date=16 August 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Political career== Mpofu was first elected to parliament in 1980 as the Provincial Member for Matabeleland North. He again served in parliament as a non-constituency member from 1987 to 1990. In 1990 he was elected to parliament from Bubi-Umguza where he served until 1999.<ref name="Nehanda-Radio-2012" />

In 2000 he was appointed as the Governor of Matabeleland North Province,<ref name="Nehanda-Radio-2012" /> a post he held until 2008.<ref name="AC-2012">{{Cite news|title=Matebeleland fallout |date=23 October 2009 |publisher=Africa Confidential |url=https://www.africa-confidential.com/article-preview/id/3289/matebeleland-fallout |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241103162526/https://www.africa-confidential.com/article-preview/id/3289/matebeleland-fallout |archive-date=3 November 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Mpofu was appointed as Minister of Industry and International Trade in mid-April 2005, following the March 2005 parliamentary election.<ref>[http://www.sadocc.at/news/2005/2005-101.shtml "MP's sworn in, new ministers appointed"], SADOCC, 16 April 2005.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201112160363.html|title=Zimbabwe: Profile - Obert Mpofu|publisher=allAfrica|date=16 December 2011}}</ref> He was placed on the United States sanctions list in 2003.<ref>[https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/03/10/03-5848/blocking-property-of-persons-undermining-democratic-processes-or-institutions-in-zimbabwe Blocking property of persons undermining democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe.]</ref>

At the beginning of 2014, Mpofu was reported to be seeking nomination from ZANU-PF’s Matabeleland North provincial leadership for the position of party Chairman. It was reported that his main rival for the position was the Speaker of the Zimbabwean Parliament, Jacob Mudenda. It is believed that Mpofu was one of the earliest ZPRA guerillas to be trained for the Zimbabwean Liberation War way back in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_zanu-pf-bigwigs-jostle-for-chairmanship/ |title=Zanu PF bigwigs jostle for chairmanship |publisher=Zimbabwe Situation |date=3 January 2014 }}</ref>

==Ministry of Industry and Trade== Mpofu masterminded the freeze of basic commodities in Zimbabwe in mid-2007. He was appointed by Robert Mugabe to lead the price monitoring regime that was created following the price-freeze.<ref>ZDU [http://www.talkzimbabwe.com/news/117/ARTICLE/1478/2008-01-30.html](accessed 02/10/2008)</ref> He withdrew operating licenses from abattoirs across the country during the price freeze, a situation that resulted in beef becoming scarce in shops across the country. In early 2008, he initiated the idea of 'people's shops' government run retail shops that would sell products cheaply.

==Minister of Mines== When the ZANU-PF–MDC national unity government was sworn in on 13 February 2009, Mpofu became Minister of Mines.<ref>[http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/minister20.19389.html "Cabinet sworn in amid chaotic scenes"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214135850/http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/minister20.19389.html |date=14 February 2009 }}, Newzimbabwe.com, 13 February 2009.</ref><ref name="Nehanda-Radio-2012" />

==Minister of Transport and Infrastructure== Mpofu was appointed as Minister of Transport and Infrastructure in February 2014 and served until 2015.<ref name="Herald-1">{{Cite news|title=Ncube sworn in |date=15 September 2016 |newspaper=The Herald |location=Harare, Zimbabwe |url=https://www.herald.co.zw/ncube-sworn-in/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924021601/https://www.herald.co.zw/ncube-sworn-in/ |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref>

==Minister of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion== Mpofu was Minister of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion from 2015 until 2017.

==Minister of Home Affairs== Mpofu was appointed as Minister of Home Affairs in October 2017. Following the dissolution of the Cabinet of Zimbabwe in November 2017, it was announced that Robert Mugabe's successor Emmerson Mnangagwa had allowed only Patrick Chinamasa and Simbarashe Mumbengegwi to remain as acting ministers of Finance and Foreign Affairs respectively until the appointment of a new cabinet.<ref name=nov27dissolve/> However, Mpofu was appointed as Minister of Home Affairs and Culture in the new cabinet.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Mnangagwa names Zimbabwe's new cabinet |date=1 December 2017 |newspaper=IOL News |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/mnangagwa-names-zimbabwes-new-cabinet-12215195 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407053733/https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/mnangagwa-names-zimbabwes-new-cabinet-12215195 |archive-date=7 April 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref> Mpofu was removed from the Mnangagwa Cabinet in September 2018, one of several more senior ministers who were dropped in the cabinet reshuffle.<ref name="Kuwaza-2018" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-145380.html|title=Hefty Perks for Obert Mpofu and Other Fired Old Guard |date= 16 September 2018 |website=Bulawayo24 News}}</ref>

==Member of Parliament== He was first elected in 1980 as the Provincial Member for Matabeleland North. From 1995 to 1999 he was the Member of Parliament from the former Bubi-Umguza Constituency.<ref name="Mpoful-Pindula">{{Cite web|title=Obert Mpofu |publisher=Pindula |url=https://pindula.co.zw/Obert_Mpofu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520123308/https://pindula.co.zw/Obert_Mpofu |archive-date=20 May 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref> But Mpofu lost the seat in 2000 to an MDC-T candidate.<ref name="Tshuma-Ncube-2018">{{Cite news|last1=Tshuma|first1=Nduduzo |last2=Ncube |first2=Leonard |date=5 April 2018 |title=Obert Mpofu bows out |newspaper=The Chronicle |url=http://www.chronicle.co.zw/obert-mpofu-bows-out/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619181630/http://www.chronicle.co.zw/obert-mpofu-bows-out/ |archive-date=19 June 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy}}</ref>

===Umguza constituency=== Mpofu was elected as the ZANU-PF candidate for the House of Assembly seat from Umguza constituency in the 2004 election. Mpofu was again nominated for that post in March 2008 parliamentary election.<ref>[http://allafrica.com/stories/200802150006.html "Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Names Poll Candidates"], ''The Herald'' (allAfrica.com), 15 February 2008.</ref> Mpofu was initially endorsed as unopposed, but Mark Mbayiwa challenged this in court and was successful in getting Mpofu's unopposed endorsement overturned.<ref>Kholwani Nyathi, [http://www.thestandard.co.zw/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=8338&siteid=1 "High Court blocks Mpofu re-election"], ''The Standard'' (Zimbabwe), accessed 10 February 2008.</ref>

Campaigning in Umguza, Mpofu singled out Simba Makoni as an agent of western imperialism.<ref>Thousands urged to vote ZANU-PF [http://www.chronicle.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=273&cat=1](accessed 26 February 2008)</ref>

Mpofu won the seat, receiving 7,065 votes and defeating two candidates of the two Movement for Democratic Change factions, Cornelius Mbayiwa (MDC-T) and Edmund Masuku (MDC-M), who respectively received 2,846 and 2,120 votes. He also defeated Mark Mbayiwa, who ran as an independent and received 555 votes.<ref>[http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/electoral203.17984.html "Zimbabwe election results 2008"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405183324/http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/electoral203.17984.html |date=5 April 2008 }}, Newzimbabwe.com, 2 April 2008.</ref>

He was elected again in 2013, but did not run in 2018, accepting instead a seat in the Senate.<ref name="Tshuma-Ncube-2018" />

===Matabeleland North=== In September 2018 Mpofu resigned as Matabeleland North's Senator.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chikasha |first=Jonathan |date=27 September 2018 |title=Obert Mpofu Tenders In Resignation |newspaper=Pindula |url=https://news.pindula.co.zw/2018/09/27/obert-mpofu-resigns-from-senate/ }}</ref>

==ZANU-PF positions== In December 2017 he was appointed as the Secretary for Administration of the ZANU-PF political party. After the party’s 2022 congress, which restored the position of Secretary General, he was appointed to that post. In September 2025 he was removed as Secretary General and made the party's Secretary for Information Communication Technology (ICT). He was succeeded as Secretary General by Jacob Mudenda.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=ZANU-PF succession fight goes public as schisms deepen |date=7 October 2025 |journal=Africa Confidential |volume=66 |issue=20 |url=https://www.africa-confidential.com/article/id/15671/zanu-pf-succession-fight-goes-public-as-schisms-deepen |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

{{S-start}} {{S-off}} {{S-bef|before=Charles Tawengwa|}} {{S-ttl|title=Treasurer (Dura ReMusangano) ZANU}} {{S-after|after= incumbent }} {{end}}

== References == {{reflist}}

{{Current members of the Senate of Zimbabwe|state=collapsed}} {{Mnangagwa cabinet}} {{Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe}} {{Zimbabwe government ministers}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mpofu, Obert}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:Government ministers of Zimbabwe Category:Members of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe Category:ZANU–PF politicians Category:Zimbabwean individuals subject to U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions