The Sunday News
Dalphine Tagwireyi Sunday News Reporter
A SOMBRE atmosphere engulfed Barham Green Methodist Church when scores of people converged yesterday for the funeral service of the late acting Vice-Chancellor of Lupane State University (LSU), Dr Maclean Mackson Bhala.Dr Bhala, who had a heart problem, died at the age of 60 on Monday night last week at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo where he had been rushed for a medical check-up.
Speaking at the service, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education and Science and Technology Development, Dr Olivia Muchena, described Dr Bhala as a hard worker.
“Just a month ago after a meeting in Victoria Falls we had agreed that it was time for Lupane State to be moved from Bulawayo to its rightful place and the Faculty of Agriculture would be the first department to do so,” she said.
“I remember that a bleak picture had been painted about the resolution we had reached but after I spoke to my deputy Godfrey Gandawa and we went to Lupane to look for temporary accommodation to settle staff from the agriculture department. We decided to house them at the main campus and they would take up the warden’s houses situated on campus and we met with Dr Bhala at the College,” she said.
Dr Muchena said she had left Dr Bhala with an assignment that was a timetable and they were supposed to meet him next week in the company of the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, Dr Ignatius Chombo.
“Though l knew him for a short time this is a very big loss as we were at a critical stage of the development of Lupane State University. I hopefully wish the rest of the team will be able to carry out the work we had started and tomorrow (today) l won’t be able to attend the burial but my deputy Gandawa will be there,” said Dr Muchena.
Dr Bhala is survived by his wife, Dr Tryphine Bhala, six children and eight grandchildren. He will be buried today at his rural home in Tekwane.
