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to meningitis at Mater-Dei Hospital.
According to a programme released by the family yesterday, a service would be held for Mambo at Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour in the city at 8am today, followed by another one at the Brethren-in-Christ Church in Mahatshula at 9.10am. His body will be taken to his rural home, Mpande area in Beitbridge, for burial. Mambo’s nephew, Mr Richard Manabela Ndou, said: “We shall observe the Venda culture and bury him at his rural home on Wednesday morning.
“People travelling from Bulawayo should turn to the right off the main road into Siyoka Road at the 228 kilometre peg near Makado. They will travel about 18km and turn to the right again towards Zezane before travelling about 5km and turning right once more, towards Chief Sitaudze’s homestead,” said Mr Ndou.
In a condolence message yesterday Zimpapers editor-in-chief Pikirayi Deketeke, said the company had lost a visionary leader who would be difficult to replace. “Paul will be greatly missed by the Zimpapers group. He was a hardworking editor who provided visionary leadership for Sunday News, while contributing immensely to the growth of the newspaper, its circulation, design and content,” he said.
He said the paper grew under his stewardship and sharpened its focus on hard news, business, sport and light-hearted reading material.
“He was a keen believer in ensuring the rural voice was covered in Sunday News. We have lost a great editor who had great potential. I would like to express our condolences to his family for the loss of a loved one.”
Chronicle editor Itayi Musengeyi said Mambo’s death was a huge blow to the Zimpapers Bulawayo Branch and the group as a whole. “His shrewd contributions to both editorial and management issues will be greatly missed. We have lost a repository of knowledge, a humble professional who was always willing to proffer his wise counsel to all members of staff,” said Musengeyi.
Zanu-PF National Chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said he had received with shock and dismay news of the untimely death of Mambo.
“He was a man of principle, a professional journalist, a man of vision and purpose as well as a selfless servant of the people. He was a man who never fell for money or personal gains. He was indeed a clean journalist who never hopped from stable to stable in search of lies at the expense of unity of our people,” said Cde Khaya Moyo.
Zanu-PF National Secretary for Education Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said Mambo was a humble but deep thinker, an analyst of issues nationally and internationally. “The death of Paul Mambo came as a shock to me. I was in touch with him about a month ago about Zanu-PF activities and political coverage, to thank him and the news editor for a job well done,” he said.
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