By Correspondent
Harare Council Head of District Administration, Dr Funny Machipisa has passed away, a few months after the acrimonious divisions over the allocation of stands to Councillors.
Council announced on Monday that Machipisa passed away on Sunday without elaborating on the cause.
“He passed away yesterday.
“We will miss him more than words can express,” it said.
Machipisa was due for retirement on December 31, 2025 as he had been with City of Harare for 41 years.
Victim Of A Council Cartel
The official was recently at the centre of a wrangle at Council after it emerged that he was the victim of a cartel that was running illegal land deals.
Some Harare City councillors sought to push through a forced transfer of the Deputy Director of Human Services in the Department of Housing and Community Services to another department.
The move was being used to “punish” Machipisa for implementing a Ministry of Local Government directive on the allocation of stands to councillors.
Dr Machipisa, who oversaw stand allocations across Harare, was allegedly being victimised by councillors who sit in the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee.
This followed a notification he gave to 59 councillors about stands allocated to them within their respective wards, as per the ministerial directive.
The directive said councillors who do not own houses in their wards can only be allocated a single discounted stand (40 percent off) within the ward, with payments spread out over their term.
However this move didn’t sit well with the Councillors and they sought to have him transfered.
At the time, the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee’s Chairperson, Councillor George Mujajati also confirmed the plans.
However, he said Dr Machipisa was not the only one being moved to the Department of Excellence.
“We are sending him there because of his qualifications, which suit the department,” he said.
“We are trying to boost the department so some people with doctorates are being moved there.
“This is meant to enhance governance operations within the city council,” he said.
Former Harare Mayor Ben Manyenyeni said Machipisa was a professional.
“Sad to learn of this.
“One of the most experienced professionals at the City.
“May he rest in peace,” he said.
