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Mr Mapfumo

Herald Reporter
Relatives and workmates yesterday thronged a local funeral parlour for a church service for Zimpapers chief librarian Mr Gibson Mapfumo, who died on Monday at his home in Munyawiri Village, Domboshava, after battling with hernia for sometime. Mr Mapfumo, who was 53, will be buried at his home this afternoon. Speaking at the church service, Mr Mapfumo’s aunt Ms Betty Mapfumo said his death was regrettable.

“Gibson’s loss is very painful to all of us,” she said.

“But God loves good people and I have no doubt that Gibson is with God now because he was a good person on whom everyone would depend.

“We stayed with him from when he was very young and we never had any problems with him. He would respect his elders.”

Mr Mapfumo’s elder brother Painos described his untimely death as a huge loss to the Mapfumo family. “The passing on of my brother is a huge loss in the entire family and the void he left will never be filled,” he said.

Mr Regis Bhaera, who worked with Mr Mapfumo for four years, said the library section had lost a vigilant colleague who never wavered on his duties.

“Mr Mapfumo was a hard working man and he was committed to his work,” he said.

“I joined Zimpapers as an intern and he is the one who mentored me to be a professional and on behalf of the library section I say go well Matemai, rest in peace.”

Foreign Editor Tendai Manzvanzvike, who worked with Mr Mapfumo for the past 10 years, said: “The library is a central part of every organisation. The section has lost a key figure who was in charge of organising and managing the content of what the media group’s newspapers publish.

“Mr Mapfumo loved his job, his family and he was a committed colleague whom we relied on. His death has also made the library and information science profession poorer.” Mr Mapfumo is survived by two daughters, Monalisa and Moleen and a grandson. He joined Zimpapers in the early 90s and stuck with the organisation until his death.