Siphosami Malunga, a human rights activist and the executive director of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) has claimed that former Mines Minister, Obert Mpofu took all their farm produce when he invaded Esidaken Farm.
Mpofu invaded the Esidakeni farm, also known as Keshelmar Farm in Nyamandlovu, Matabeleland North province and has since been ordered by courts to leave the farm.
The farm is part-owned by rights lawyer Siphosami Malunga, the son of the late PF ZAPU stalwart and national hero, Sydney Malunga, Charles Moyo and Zephania Dhlamini.
Malunga said they were about to harvest their crops when Mpofu chased them out of the farm. He said:
When @DrObertMpofu invaded our farm #Esidakeni and chased us out and installed armed guards we had just started to harvest our 800tonnes of onion; 200tonnes of butternut with 75000 cabbages almost ready to harvest. He took it all. Everything!
Commentators said it was not surprising that Mpofu was a “thief” considering that Zimbabwe allegedly lost US$15 billion through diamond leakages when the ZANU PF secretary for administration was minister of Mines and Mining Development.
Former Mines Minister, Walter Chidhakwa earlier said an investigation into the case was stalled by inaccessibility to relevant information from firms that used to extract diamonds in Chiadzwa.