Obert Mpofu
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| Obert Mpofu | |
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Minister of Industry and International Trade
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office April 2005 |
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| President | Robert Mugabe |
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Govenor of Matabeleland North Province
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| In office 2002 – 2005 |
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| President | Robert Mugabe |
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| Born | 12 October 1951  Rhodesia and Nyasaland |
| Nationality |  Zimbabwean |
| Political party |  ZANU-PF |
| Children | Bukhosie Mpofu, Mkhokeli Mpofu |
| Zimbabwe |
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Other countries · Atlas Politics Portal |
Obert Moses Mpofu is a Zimbabwean politician, currently serving as Minister of Industry and International Trade.[1]
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[edit] Political career
Mpofu, previously the Governor of Matabeleland North Province, was appointed as Minister of Industry and International Trade in mid-April 2005, following the March 2005 parliamentary election.[2]
[edit] Ministry of Industry & 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. [3] 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 at cheap prices.
[edit] Sino-Zimbabwe trade
Mpofu was at the forefront encouraging trade between Zimbabwe and China, as part of the government's Look-East policy. At one time, Gao Hucheng, Chinese vice-minister for commerce, after meeting with Mpofu claimed: "Chinese goods had been well received by Zimbabweans and that his government would continue to promote trade between the two countries as this had also improved the lives of people." The Chinese have been accused of bringing sub-standard goods into the country with encouragement from Mpofu.[4]
[edit] 2008 general election
Obert Mpofu has been nominated again as the ZANU-PF candidate for the House of Assembly seat from Umguza constituency in the March 2008 parliamentary election.[5] Mpofu was initially endorsed as unopposed, but Mark Mbayiwa challenged this in court and was successful in getting Mpofu's unopposed endorsement overturned.[6]
Campaigning in Umguza, Mpofu singled out Simba Makoni as an agent of western imperialism. He allegedly tried to buy the votes of those who came to hear his speech by giving them knapsack sprayers.[7]
Mpofu won the seat, receiving 7,065 votes and defeating two candidates of the Movement for Democratic Change, Cornelius Mbayiwa and Edmund Masuku, who respectively received 2,846 votes and 2,120 votes. He also defeated Mark Mbayiwa, who ran as an independent and received 555 votes.[8]
[edit] Trading in ivory
Mpofu, together with Webster Shamu, has been accused of trading in ivory in his capacity as minister for his personal gain, a charge that he dismissed. [9]
[edit] References
- ^ Parliament of Zimbabwe. Retrieved on 2008-02-06.
- ^ "MP's sworn in, new ministers appointed", SADOCC, April 16, 2005.
- ^ ZDU[1](accessed -2/10/2008)
- ^ Sino-Zim Trade[2] (accessed 02/25/2008)
- ^ "Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Names Poll Candidates", The Herald (allAfrica.com), February 15, 2008.
- ^ 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 February 10, 2008.
- ^ Thousands urged to vote ZANU-PF[3](accessed 02/26/2008)
- ^ "Zimbabwe election results 2008", Newzimbabwe.com, April 2, 2008.
- ^ Shamu, Mpofu deny illicit trade[4](accesed 02/10/2008)
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