peter
We continue our interview with former guerilla fighter and now Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Moses Mpofu on his exploits during the armed struggle. Dr Mpofu joined the armed struggle at the tender age of 16 in 1967 in Zambia. Last week Dr Mpofu spoke about the internal problems that Zapu witnessed in 1970.
He also told our Assistant Editor Mkhululi Sibanda (MS) how he was later on deployed to Deka (DK) Camp under the reconnaissance unit where he worked under the now late Gordon Butshe who after independence served in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).
The reconnaissance unit at DK included Umkhonto weSizwe cadres such as Cdes Peter Mfene, Dotli, and Gatsheni. From the Zapu side cadres deployed with Dr Mpofu were the likes of Zitshe Moyo, Mika Mlilo, Brother Khupe and David Mongwa Moyo affectionately known as Sharp Shoot. Below are excerpts of the interview. Read on….
MS: So how were the operations from DK, if you can take us through that period.
Dr Mpofu: At the main Combat DK Camp we had now late national hero whom I said we had trained together Cde Cephas Cele as the commander.
Cadres were launching incursions from there into Rhodesia. There were regular skirmishes with the Rhodesian forces as we escorted comrades to the front. There was a lot of action around areas such as Mlibizi, Deka Drum, Hwange and Binga areas.
We moved to open up more crossing points in Mlibizi and also moved to Kazungula. Reconnaissance satellite camps were established at Siampondo, Deka of course, Mukuni and so on. It was during that time that several attacks were made against the Rhodesians as we attacked enemy camps in Jambezi, Chisuma, Victoria Falls Airport and so on. Myself, Mika Mlilo, Zitshe Moyo, Khupe and Stolom Roger Ndlovu did most of the reconnaissance assignments and the crossing of the comrades. I was paired with Roger as both of us came from the Hwange area and knew the reliable contacts for our combat units to use. Then later on I had to leave combat life to embark on the academic journey.
When I was withdrawn from the eastern front to be deployed to the western front, I had the privilege of meeting George Silundika who besides taking me through the situation obtaining on the ground during that time had hinted to me that I was still very young and that he would ensure that I go back to school if an opportunity arose. That is what happened. It was in 1973 that the leadership said I and others, abafana ababebancane should go to school.
MS: Which school did you go to?
Dr Mpofu: I went back to secondary school. Just before joining the war, I had briefly attended St Mary’s after Sacred Heart Mission. So, in 1973 the Zapu leadership recommended that I go back to school since I was still very young. I got a place at Livingstone Day Secondary School now called Linda Secondary School in Livingstone Town. That is where I met a South African educationist, Matjue who was the headmaster and our own Misheck Matshazi who was to go on to become a professor and distinguished scholar. Prof Matshazi who was a Zapu cadre was coming from Yugoslavia. He taught me from Form 3 to 5.
There we were together with our ANC counterparts and that was a crash programme. Then after Form 5 I enrolled for a Diploma in Journalism with the famous Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka. My education bills were covered by the International University Exchange Fund (IUEF) that was headed by now former South African First Lady,
, the wife of Cde Thabo Mbeki. That fund was for cadres. Mrs Mbeki is the one who took us from school to give us those scholarships. I was still under IUEF.
After my journalism studies I was awarded a scholarship to go and study in India alongside other Zapu cadres. In India I enrolled at the India Institute of Mass Communication to pursue a post-graduate diploma in journalism and communication studies and that is where I met the late ZBC reporter, Painos Dakwa. However, I did not pursue the course to the end as I enrolled for a Bachelor of Commerce Degree at the University of Dehli.
I was there together with fellow Zimbabweans like now Dr Mavis Sibanda who is now the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Siziba, Ziminya, Muza and Eguene Matikiti. In India I was the leader of the Zapu group. Also, there were comrades like Dr Rukobo and Professor Chimanikire. We also had students from the other nationalist movement, Zanu. We co-existed and collaborated very well. I finished my degree in 1981 and that is when I returned home to an independent Zimbabwe.
MS: Then tell us about your return home which you had left in 1967.
Dr Mpofu: When we got home the then Ministry of Manpower Planning headed by Minister Dr Fredrick Shava with his Permanent Secretary being Dr Ibbo Mandaza was compiling a data base of degreed Zimbabweans. So, the first job I got was at the Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) which prior to independence had been owned by South African Argus Corporation.
Because I had a degree in management and instead of putting me in the editorial section of the company, they put me in management. I had been interviewed for a post as a sub-editor at The Herald which was under the editorship of Farai Munyuki, the first black editor there.
Already at Zimpapers as well was Cde Tommy Sithole, the current board chairperson. After being interviewed the management under a white manager called Smuts wanted me to be a trainee manager while the editorial guys oMunyuki wanted me to be the sub-editor.
The management wanted me because I had a Bachelor of Commerce. As Argus had sold the company to the Mass Media Trust a new breed of black managers were being prepared to take over the running of the company. So as a trainee manager I was being prepared to take over the running of the branch which was under Smuts. Then as time went on with me being from the Zapu side, Dr Nathan Shamuyarira who was the Minister of Information made things clear that the appointment should be a political one.
Shamuyarira said he understood that I was being trained to take over but quickly pointed out that I was not politically correct. So, I understand Dr Shamuyarira went to the Prime Minister, Cde Mugabe and said there is guy who is being earmarked to take over the Zimpapers Harare branch but he is not from Zanu, he is Zapu. He is said to have said I will not be able to toe the line and further went on to say they had identified Alois Mangwende.
However, Cde Mugabe was very smart and said despite my political affiliation he wanted me. I then got a letter while at The Herald which read that I had been appointed to the Ministry of Finance. That is how I came to work for the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) under the Department of Customs and Excise. I have that copy of the letter up to now. I was one of the first black senior tax collectors.
MS: Who were the others?
Dr Mpofu: There was Mathabela, Munyaradzi and Mujuru. Then came Makonyonga and William Kwedza. So that’s how I got into Government. All these guys oTendai Madzorera, Waramba and Tich Mujuru we are the ones who recruited them. I was actually in charge of administration. So, we transformed that whole unit into a fully Zimbabwean outfit. It was while I was at Customs and Excise that I left Zapu to join Zanu.
MS: What were the reasons for moving from Zapu to Zanu?
Dr Mpofu: I discovered that some of my former colleagues like Solomon Mujuru, Rex Nhongo whom we had trained together and shared trenches during the armed struggle while in Zapu had become generals. In fact, from time to time I used to talk to Rex.
I felt that as Zimbabweans we had achieved some of our objectives of decolonising our nation and it was time to work with others. There was no need for any further hassles of the opposition. In fact, I went to Vanguard House where there were Zapu offices to brief Zapu President Dr Joshua Nkomo about my decision. I told him that I was leaving and said since I was in Government I have decided to work with others. Unlike others who when they left Zapu directed insults at the leadership, myself I did not insult the party and anyone.
MS: When you told Dr Nkomo of your decision to cross over to Zanu, what was his reaction?
Dr Mpofu: He just laughed and said nxa kuyikho lokho yikholokho (if that’s it, that’s it). So, during that year there were general elections and Zanu deployed me as its candidate for Tsholotsho-Hwange constituency against David Kwidini of Zapu. I lost to him.
During that year I had actually resigned from Customs and joined Tregers where I was appointed the first black group projects director of the company. Among the projects that I was doing I started Zimbabwe Grain Bag. I introduced new technology there with the coming in of plastic bags and that excited the market. The first order we got was almost four million bags ordered by Ian Makone of the Grain Marketing Board (GMB). I also joined the Bulawayo Chamber of Commerce. I then initiated the purchase of Tregers and National Blankets.
However, Enos Nkala as the party’s Treasurer was opposed to all that but I got support from Cde Mugabe and other party leaders.
To be concluded next week with Dr Mpofu talking about how he built his business empire and the topical Esidakeni Farm.
Online Reporter