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Sunday News Reporter
Cde Jairos Maropa has put his name forward to represent the ruling Zanu-PF in the forthcoming harmonised elections as Councillor for Ward 8 in Bulawayo. Ward 8 covers Barbourfields, Mzilikazi, Nguboyenja, Thorngrove Infill and Burombo Flats.
Cde Maropa joined politics at a very tender age of 13 in 1974 when he visited his father’s nephew Chief Rekai Tangwena where he was told that; “You young men run every morning at around 5am to the mountains of Nyafaro and watch where the Smith soldiers are coming from and then notify people.”
“From 1975 we used to assist those who were crossing to Mozambique to show them where to cross along Gairezi River. In 1976 we accompanied comrades to Mozambique. While at Selashowa, a camp in Mozambique, I was told by Cde Mabhunu Muchapera and Nyaruwata that “this younger man we need him in front” and I was the youngest in group of 15 boys. In 1977, I was taken by Cde Sparks and Cde Stephen Chipinga to Katandika in Mozambique with comrades who were attacked at Headlands near Marondera. During those days I was made the secretary for information. I survived Sagonda attacks where the headmaster of the school was killed as well as Nyamhanda attacks and Ngurunda attacks.
“From 1978 up to 1980 I was working with the comrades from Nyafaru, Nguranda, Nyamhanda up to Nyamaropa and in 1983 I went back to school at the age of 22. In 1987 I moved from Inyanga to Bulawayo and the first person I approached was Comrade Maseko of Burombo.
“He took me to Cde Brown then chairman of Thorngrove district. I was co-opted to the district as secretary for health up to 1990. I moved to Nguboyenja district under Valley branch and I was chosen to be secretary for administration. In 1994 I was elected to the district as a secretary for health under chairman Maphosa and in 1999 I was chosen to be secretary for health under Mukahanana. In 2007 I was elected to be secretary for administration, the position that lifted me up to be secretary for information for DCC1, up to the time of the disbanding of the DCCs.
“In 2013 I was elected to be a secretary for health for Bulawayo province, the position I am still holding up to date. I am a member of the war collaborators. In 2013 I was elected by people of Ward 8 to stand as their councillor but I did not make it.”
Cde Maropa is a man with vast experience in public administration who can execute duties with proficiency.
“I have good communication skills and natural team work as stated before that I worked as a supervisor, administrator, and manager and in financial management. And I am also into mining.” He has also assisted in 69 funerals in Makokoba constituency mainly in Ward 8.
“In some of the funerals I took over all responsibilities. For example in the funeral for Nkomo of Burombo flats, Clever Sibanda of Nguboyenja to mention just a few. From 2010 up to 2014 I have paid school fees for 25 children at different grades and forms and some of the those children are at universities and colleges. I am also the patron of Burombo Feeding Scheme where we used to feed more than 250 children,” he said.
He has been running the constituency office of Makokoba and managed to find jobs for more than 235 nurses and 30 teachers and 289 people got birth certificates and IDs.
“Once voted into office, I seek to bring good supervision on all council property and infrastructure. To address and alleviate hunger and poverty in Ward 8 by introducing programmes and schemes that identify with the needs of the people. To develop the ward in gardening and marketing projects that can reduce unemployment among youth.
To help resuscitate health delivery system in Ward 8 like Mzilikazi and Jairos Jiri clinics. To improve quality of education and ensure that it is accessible and affordable to every child, parent and adult. To create a non-sexist, non-racial, tribal atmosphere within the ward and no utterance or forms discrimination.
To interface with business and create a report on behalf of the ward. I have to work hard to re-open some of the once economically vibrant pubs now closed and derelict. These pubs once provided much needed revenue and development to other communities. They are namely Burombo Beer Garden, Mashumba Beer Garden and Greenspan Beer Garden mainly closed because of a very poor management.”
Cde Maropa also seeks to improve social and sports amenities like Burombo ground, Nguboyenja ground, Thorngrove ground, Greenspan ground and Mzilikazi ground near housing office. He was born in 1961 and married with seven children and speaks a number of languages such as English, Shona, Ndebele and Portuguese.
He trained in administrative and financial management as well as radiography at Mpilo Hospital. He has worked for a number of companies, rising through the ranks to becoming a manager and is now the administrative of Makokoba constituency office as personal assistant to MP Retired Colonel Cde Tshinga Dube.
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