ESIDAKENI FARM SAGA: Plot against Obert Mpofu exposed

Obert Mpofu is a popular brand in Zimbabwean politics and media. Mpofu is a man who needs no introduction as he is a political heavyweight who has navigated his way through different political landscapes since the 1970s.

Last week Obert Mpofu was the second most popular name after President ED Mnangagwa and his historic visit to Glasgow.

Mpofu was recently in the media for two things 1. The Syberth Musengi court challenge against President ED Mnangagwa and 2. The Esidakeni Farm allocation.

The timing of both headlines and Obert Mpofu's headline making in both cases might seem to be a coincidence but to the discerning mind, one can't help but think that there is a conspiracy.

The Syberth Musengi court challenge

Obert Mpofu is the man who was elected to chair the ZANU PF central committee meeting which passed a resolution to recall Former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe and reinstate President Emmerson D. Mnangagwa as well as deploy ED Mnangagwa to finish RG Mugabe's term of office.

ED Mnangagwa did not appoint himself hence any challenge on the legitimacy of President ED Mnangagwa would be a challenge on the meeting and process which appointed Mnangagwa.

Obert Mpofu, therefore, is key in the legitimacy challenge and he is equally key in ensuring that ZANU PF runs smoothly on a daily basis as Secretary for Administration especially leading towards the much-hyped 2023 elections.

It is likely that anyone who wants to mount a fight against President ED Mnangagwa would also mount a fight against  Mpofu as he is a key ally and functionary of the President and the ruling party.

Distracting Obert Mpofu from his daily duties as Secretary of Administration could derail the party as it makes headway towards a resounding victory in 2023.

Regime change agents know and understand the critical role of Secretary for Administration, hence the need to distract  Mpofu from daily duties as Secretary for Administration.

The Esidakeni farm ownership narrative is one way of distracting Obert Mpofu.

The ghost of Eddie Warambwa is haunting Sipho Malunga, Zeph Dlamini and Charles Mpofu.

Eddie Warambwa ran Esidakeni farm which reportedly went under the hammer to service loans which its late owner failed to settle.

The 1 000 hectare farm is located in the rich Nyamandlovu farming area in Matabeleland North's Umguza District and was owned by Mr Eddie Warambwa, who died in South Africa where he had relocated to, abandoning the farm and turning it into a white elephant.

With over 500 dairy cows at its peak, 300 workers, and a top milk supplier to Dairibord Zimbabwe, the farm was a very lucrative business venture.

The farm ownership wrangle has hit the media with OSISA boss and top media financier Sipho Malunga controlling the narrative through the several publications which owe him allegiance.

The media claims that Mpofu grabbed Esidakeni Estate when in fact he was subjected to processes like any other Zimbabwean.

Obert Mpofu didn't grab, neither did he give himself an offer letter. Therefore it is mischievous and malicious to state that Mpofu grabbed Esidakeni Estate when he was offered.

The narrative is set against  Mpofu to tarnish his image and make him seem like a greedy land grabbing politician so that he is distracted from his daily duties.

Obert Mpofu now has to clear his name from the Esidakeni saga while there is a court challenge against President ED Mnangagwa and there are conference resolutions that need to be implemented on the road to 2023.

As an astute politician, Mpofu needs to ignore the noise and the distractions and focus on his duties to the revolutionary party.

Esidakeni Estate is a saga on its own, Sipho Malunga and Zeph Dlamini are not saints neither are they victims in the Esidakeni saga. That is a story for my next installment.

Nicholas Ncube is a sociopolitical commentator, researcher and blogger  based in Ontario Canada