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Acting Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Kembo Mohadi consoles the mother of Mr Killian Mupingo, Mrs Barbra Mupingo, while Mr Madzudzo Pawadyira and Mrs Yarisa Mapenda look on in Milton Park, Harare, yesterday

Herald Reporters
Secretary for Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Mr Killian Mupingo has died.
He was 53.Mr Mupingo succumbed to cancer on Thursday in Rusape and his body is expected to be taken to his rural home in the Rugoyi area of Makoni District today before proceeding to his farm in Nyazura for burial tomorrow.

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said Government was in mourning.

He said Mr Mupingo was one of the youngest permanent secretaries to head a strategic ministry, an appointment he said testified to the confidence President Mugabe reposed in him.

“During the crafting and implementation of the current economic blueprint, the Zim-Asset, he was appointed as co-chair of the Social Services and Poverty Eradication Cluster, where he distinguished himself as a committed, resourceful and hard-working senior Government officer,” Dr Sibanda said.

“We will dearly miss his sense of wit, inspirational communication skills and deep loyalty to this country. I wish to convey our deepest sympathy on behalf of the office of the President and Cabinet and indeed the civil service as a whole, to Mrs Mupingo and the Mpingo family.”

The Civil Service Commission also expressed its condolences.

“He rose through the ranks from the junior rank of administrative officer in 1984 up to the rank of permanent secretary, a post he held until the time of his death,” said CSC Acting Secretary Mrs Precious Mudonhi.

Local Government Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo said the ministry had lost a loyal son of Zimbabwe who dedicated a larger part of his adult life to the service of the country and its people.

“On behalf of the ministry, I wish to express our collective condolences to Killian’s wife, Mavis, and the Mupingo family at large, for the untimely passing on of the permanent secretary,” he said.

“In his long service to the State and Government, Killian made a priceless contribution to the development of this country. Indeed, he played a critical role in the development of the local Government system in Zimbabwe.”

Dr Chombo said Mr Mupingo was instrumental in steering the on-going local Government reform agenda.

He described him as an astute and charismatic administrator who had “distinguished himself among his colleagues and subordinates with the passionate and enthusiastic manner he discharged his duties during his long career in Government”.

“He was an excellent communicator whose writings and oratory skills were second-to-none. A patriotic and dependable cadre who always put the country ahead of personal interest, he will always be missed.” Mr Mupingo is survived by wife Mavis, son Tafadzwa Killian and daughter Barbra Tendai.

Mourners are gathered at number 15 Van Praagh Avenue in Milton Park.

Mr Mupingo was born in Rugoyi and attended St Killian’s Primary School and moved on to Murehwa High School for his secondary education.

He did his Advanced Level at Goromonzi High School before proceeding to the University of Zimbabwe where he attained a Bachelor of Administration Honours Degree and at the time of his death he was reading a Masters in Peace and Governance.

Mr Mupingo joined the ministry as an administrative officer, rising to the post of Zvishavane district administrator (1989 to 1995) before he was transferred to Hwedza (1996 to 2000).

In 2001, he was promoted to Manicaland provincial administrator and then deputy secretary in the ministry, a position he held until he was made Permanent Secretary in 2009.

Mr Mupingo served on various boards among them the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (2004-2009), Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (2004-2009), Rufaro Marketing (2007-2008), Rural Electrification Agency (2001-2004) and Zimbabwe Institute of Public Administration and Management (2009 to death).