Thabani Mpofu Biography | Age, Education, Career, Notable Cases, Arrest, Awards & Honours
This is the biography of Thabani Mpofu, a Zimbabwean lawyer and constitutional expert widely recognized for his legal representation in prominent cases. Notably, he served as the lawyer for Nelson Chamisa during the MDC Alliance’s challenge of the 2018 presidential election results.
Background
Thabani Mpofu’s father and mother (Image: Thabani Mpofu/X)
Thabani Mpofu was born in Ingezi Kadoma and spent his formative years in Kadoma. His father passed away on 15 January 2021.
Age
Thabani Mpofu was born on April 13, 1982.
Education
Mpofu attended Mupawose Primary School and Munyaradzi Secondary School before completing his “A” Levels at Jameson High School. Following the closure of the law faculty at Great Zimbabwe University, he transferred to the University of Zimbabwe to pursue his Law Degree.
In 2008, during his final year at the University of Zimbabwe, Mpofu won the ICRC National Moot Court Competition and the ICRC African Moot Court Competition. His achievements led to an internship with the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania.
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Career
Thabani Mpofu joined the Bar of Zimbabwe in 2009, becoming the youngest advocate in the country. In 2012, he founded the Thabani Mpofu Center for Justice, a human rights trust. Additionally, in 2015, he co-founded The Chambers – Advocates for Zimbabwe, the largest set of chambers in Zimbabwe.
Mpofu has been involved in significant legal battles, including representing Morgan Tsvangirai in a groundbreaking case against Robert Mugabe in 2012. In 2019, he led a bid challenging a High Court judgment outlawing corporal punishment in Zimbabwe. His notable achievements also include obtaining a judgment in 2021 that Chief Justice Luke Malaba’s term had ended.
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Other Notable Cases
Zuva vs Don Nyamande and Kingston Donga
Thabani Mpofu, alongside Nelson Chamisa, represented Zuva Petroleum in a case where the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by two former managers challenging the termination of their employment contracts.
Challenging 2018 Zimbabwean Presidential Election Result
Mpofu played a pivotal role in challenging the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) during the 2018 presidential election, emphasizing collaboration with a team of local and international constitutional lawyers.
Arrest
On June 1, 2020, Mpofu was arrested and charged with obstructing the course of justice. The arrest was related to alleged offences occurring between January 2019 and February 2019.
Awards & Honours
In 2016, Thabani Mpofu was honoured with the JCI Zimbabwe Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award. He has also consistently featured in lists of the most influential young Zimbabweans.
