“Best Time Ever”, when MDC was in Govt btn 2009-2013: Obert Mpofu

Former Mines Minister, Obert Mpofu has dismissed rumours that he looted the countries resources during his time as minister. He told a local daily that he is opposed to popular belief that he would block the anti-corruption drive, he had actually invited investigations.

While highlighting that some of his accusers should not be listened to as they have never employed anyone in their lives, Mpofu said the best time the country ever had was between 2009 and 2013 when the opposition MDC and Zanu PF worked together in a Government of National Unity under Mugabe and Tsvangirai leadership.

Below is Obert Mpofu’s statement taken from an interview:

When asked: Some have said the fight against corruption won’t amount to much unless you are investigated?

Mpofu:I am clean, I have invited investigations. I have never and will never take anything from anybody. What I have, I worked for and it is an insult, especially to be told by a nonentity, someone who has never managed a tuck-shop that I am corrupt. What do I need to corrupt anybody? If anything, I would be corrupting people.

When asked: But people point at your time as minister of Mines and Mining Development when the country discovered diamonds in Chiadzwa, was it the time you got rich?

Mpofu: I think that is the best time that the country ever had, between 2009 and 2013. But people who want to see us fail think of the negative, look at the economic growth, it shot to two-figure digits, I am proud.

I don’t regret it and I am waiting to see someone surpass what I achieved. Before 2009, there was nothing in mining and after 2013 it just went down. The graph is going down, but when I was minister, the graph was going up and I don’t see us achieving that in the near future. When you achieve something in Zimbabwe, you become a target, an enemy of the reactionaries.

I am not amused by the allegations, but I don’t regret the decisions that I have taken in my life because I made those decisions consciously. If there is anybody who thinks that I have done something that is not professional, they should go to the police.

But let us not trivialise issues by listening to people who have never employed anyone in their lives. We don’t condone corruption because it denies people of their rights and repels investment. But if you look at the investments that are in this country, they were brought by me, the mining companies. When I was in industries, look at the companies, the majority were brought by me and I am challenging anyone to dispute that.