Chronicle Editor
Sikhulekelani Moyo,
THE late Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Cde Justin Mupamhanga, has been declared a National Hero.
This was announced by Acting President Dr Constantino Chiwenga through a statement on Tuesday.
Mr Mupamhanga died on Tuesday morning at Arundel Clinic in Harare after a battle with diabetes and high blood pressure.
In his condolence message, Dr Chiwenga said: “In recognition of his distinguished role in the struggle for Independence and in the development of our nation, especially in laying the foundations and growing the agriculture and energy sectors, His Excellency President Dr ED Mnangagwa, in consultation with the Politburo, has directed that he be accorded National Hero status.”
Dr Chiwenga said he learned with a deep sense of grief and sadness of the passing of Cde Justin Mupamhanga at Arundel Clinic this morning after a brave fight against diabetes and high blood pressure.
“On behalf of the President, Dr ED Mnangagwa, and the First Family, the nation, the ruling ZANU PF Party, the Government, and my family, I express my deepest and heartfelt condolences to the Mupamhanga family, including Amai Mupamhanga and the children, including our Deputy Minister for Youth Empowerment, Development, and Vocational Training, Hon Kuda Mupamhanga, on their saddest loss,” said the Acting President.
He urged the family to derive solace from the knowledge that the nation today joins them in mourning the sad and untimely demise of Cde Mupamhanga, whom he described as an “illustrious son of the soil.”
“In recognition of his distinguished role in the struggle for Independence and in the development of the nation, especially in laying the foundations and growing the agriculture and energy sectors, Dr Chiwenga said President ED Mnangagwa, in consultation with the Politburo, has directed that he be accorded National Hero status. May his dear soul rest in eternal peace,” said Dr Chiwenga.
Cde Mupamhanga was a veteran of the Liberation Struggle, having joined the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) in 1975.
The late Cde Mupamhanga later played a critical role in driving the implementation of government programmes as the Deputy Chief Secretary responsible for Monitoring and Evaluation in the Office of the President.
He later held important positions in the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and ZANLA commissariat and education departments.
After Independence, he began his civil service career in the Government in 1983 in the Economics Division of the President’s Department, and he rose through the ranks, occupying critical Government and ministerial positions, amongst other duties.
Below is the Acting President’s full statement:
I learned with a deep sense of grief and sadness of the passing of Cde Justin Mupamhanga at Arundel Clinic this morning after a brave fight against diabetes and high blood pressure.
A veteran of the Liberation Struggle who sacrificed his studies at the then University of Rhodesia in 1975 to join the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA), the late Cde Mupamhanga would later play a critical role in driving the implementation of government programmes as the Deputy Chief Secretary responsible for Monitoring and Evaluation in the Office of the President and Cabinet, working under the then Chief Secretary, Dr MJM Sibanda.
He oversaw numerous strategic and key government programmes in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure development. He was my point man for programmes that we implemented to improve development in the Kanyemba area of Mbire District, in Mashonaland Central Province.
He was a fireball workhorse and go-getter who, despite suffering a stroke, continued to drive government programmes and projects with conviction, zeal, and determination.
Cde Mupamhanga joined the Liberation Struggle in Mozambique and was allowed to complete his university studies soon after finishing his initial military training. He later held important positions in the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and ZANLA commissariat and education departments.
After Independence, he began his civil service career in the Government in 1983 in the Economics Division of the President’s Department. He rose through the ranks, first establishing and heading the Economics Branch, serving as Minister Counsellor at our Diplomatic Mission in London, United Kingdom, and later being elevated to the position of Deputy Director in the President’s Department, then under His Excellency President Dr ED Mnangagwa, who was the Minister responsible for State Security.
In times of the El Niño-induced droughts that have from time to time devastated the Southern African region, Cde Mupamhanga was part of a Taskforce that included the then Air Force Commander, Air Marshal Perrance Shiri, Major General Amoth Chimombe, and Ngoni Masoka, the then Secretary for Agriculture, that was charged with the responsibility to import grain and avert hunger in the country.
Cde Mupamhanga was later appointed Secretary for Energy and Power Development. During his tenure as Secretary, he played a key role in the liberalisation of the fuel industry, which eliminated fuel shortages and increased participation by indigenous businesses in that sector.
In that role, he also led the restructuring of the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe. He restructured the power utility, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), into self-contained business units and introduced the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority.
As Deputy Chief Secretary responsible for Monitoring and Evaluation in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Cde Mupamhanga oversaw the implementation of major projects such as the construction of the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam. The highlight of his career was as Chairman of Command Agriculture, during which he laid the framework for agricultural productivity, thus helping Zimbabwe to reclaim its breadbasket status in the region. He retired in 2019 after 36 years of dedicated service to Government and country but continued as Chairman of Kuvimba Mining House.
At a personal level, Cde Mupamhanga valued land, one of the major grievances that drove him and other youth to the struggle and carried out successful farming operations in Mashonaland Central Province.
May I, on behalf of His Excellency the President, Dr ED Mnangagwa, and the First Family, the nation, the ruling ZANU PF Party, the Government, and my family, express my deepest and heartfelt condolences to the Mupamhanga family, including Amai Mupamhanga and the children, including our Deputy Minister for Youth Empowerment, Development, and Vocational Training, Hon Kuda Mupamhanga, on their saddest loss.
May they derive solace from the knowledge that the nation today joins them in mourning the sad and untimely demise of this illustrious son of the soil.
In recognition of his distinguished role in the struggle for Independence and in the development of our nation, especially in laying the foundations and growing the agriculture and energy sectors, His Excellency President Dr ED Mnangagwa, in consultation with the Politburo, has directed that he be accorded National Hero status.
May his dear soul rest in eternal peace.
- @SikhulekelaniM1
Sidumisile Mabena