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// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Jacob Mafume a baker? He's got a lot of dough.

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
His Worship
Jacob Mafume
Mayor of Harare
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 December 2023
Preceded byLovejoy Chitengu
Mayor of Harare
In office
3 September 2020 – September 2023
Preceded byHerbert Gomba
Succeeded byIan Makone
Councillor for Ward 17 (Mount Pleasant, Harare)
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 July 2018
Personal details
Born (1976-09-10) 10 September 1976 (age 49)
Marondera, Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe
PartyMDC–T (before 2014)
MDC Alliance (2018–2022)
Citizens Coalition for Change (2022–present)
SpouseElizabeth Benjamini[1]
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Zimbabwe (LLB (Hons))
Harvard Kennedy School (Executive Education, Public Leadership)
OccupationLawyer, politician, human rights activist
ProfessionLegal practitioner
Websitewww.hararecity.co.zw

Jacob Mafume[2] (born 10 September 1976) is a prominent Zimbabwean politician[3], lawyer [4], and advocate for human rights[5] who currently holds the office of Mayor of Harare[6][7]. He is a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Mafume first assumed the City of Harare mayoral position in September 2020[8] and was re-elected[9] in December 2023 for a second term.

Early life and education

[edit]

Jacob Mafume was born on 10 September 1976 in Marondera, Zimbabwe, to Isaac Jacob Mafume and the late Maina Maoneyi Mafume (née Muvuti)[10][11] of Mafuwa Village in Bondolfi[12], Masvingo. His parents were staunch members of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church. He attended Riverside Primary School in Gweru and later Gokomere High School for his secondary education. Mafume then studied law at the University of Zimbabwe from 1996 to 2000, earning a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. During his university years, he served as Secretary General[13] of the University of Zimbabwe Students’ Union (ZINASU)[14], an experience that significantly shaped his political trajectory.

[edit]

Mafume practised law, working with firms such as Mapunga Bhatasara Attorneys in Harare. He has also been associated with Retina Properties and the Norwegian organisation Studentenes og Akademikernes Internasjonale Hjelpefond (SAIH)[15].

Political career

[edit]

He worked at USAID and later joined the office of then-Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as legal advisor[16][17] during Zimbabwe's Government of National Unity (inclusive government) period following the 2008 Zimbabwean general election[18]. Mafume has been active in Zimbabwe’s civil society sector for over two decades, including human rights advocacy.

Early involvement

[edit]

Mafume was a founding member of the original Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)[19]. In 2014, he was part of a group (including Elton Mangoma and others) expelled[20] from the MDC after calling for the resignation of party leader Morgan Tsvangirai. They formed the MDC Renewal Team[21], which contributed to the formation of the People's Democratic Party (Zimbabwe) (PDP) under Tendai Biti. In the 2013 Zimbabwean general elections, he contested the Harare South parliamentary seat but was defeated by ZANU-PF's Shadreck Mashayamombe[22].

Political Trajectory and Administrative Tenure

[edit]

Mafume’s rise to the mayoral office in September 2020—succeeding Herbert Gomba[23] represented a pivotal shift in the leadership of Harare, occurring amidst the extreme administrative pressures of the global COVID-19 pandemic and frequent political friction with the national executive, which resulted in multiple instances of his suspension[24]. Following his successful re-election in December 2023, Mafume solidified his mandate to execute a long-term urban development agenda[25], focusing on the stabilization of municipal services, navigating intergovernmental relations and fighting corruption[26] in the city of Harare.

Initiatives and Urban Policy

[edit]

As Mayor of Harare, Mafume has overseen several infrastructural and urban planning initiatives. A major project during his tenure was the rehabilitation[27][28] of Rufaro Stadium to bring it up to modern operational standards. His administration has also proposed the development of municipal solar[29] power infrastructure to help address power shortages affecting the city’s water treatment, sewage processing facilities and working with Geo Pomona[30] on refuse collection[31]. In addition, Mafume has advocated for the development of an integrated mass public transport system[32] and has engaged with issues related to land tenure and informal settlements[33].

Controversies and Criticisms

[edit]

Mafume’s tenure has been marked by significant controversy and legal challenges[34][35][36]. Shortly after his initial election in 2020, he faced arrest and detention on allegations of criminal abuse of office, specifically regarding the illegal parcelling of land[37] to his sister and a colleague. He was subsequently re-arrested on accusations of attempting to bribe a witness in his criminal case, leading to a period of incarceration. These legal battles occurred within a broader political context, with opposition groups arguing that the arrests were politically motivated efforts by the ruling ZANU-PF government to seize control of urban local authorities. Critics of his administration have also pointed to persistent failures in essential service delivery, including water shortages, poor drainage, and decaying road infrastructure. Interviews and public discourse have frequently highlighted tensions surrounding city council corruption, land lease management, and the overall quality of life in Harare, with observers questioning the efficacy of the municipal leadership in overcoming systemic bureaucratic and political hurdles.

Personal life

[edit]

Mafume is married to Elizabeth Benjamini[38] and they have two sons together. His mother, Maina Mawoneyi Mafume[39], passed away on 17 March 2023 after a battle with heart disease a period Mafume described as difficult.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Mayoress Mafume donates to the less privileged". Harare City Council. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  2. ↑ "Jacob Mafume". Pindula. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  3. ↑ "Zimbabwe Politics: Two Harare Mayors Fired Within a Month". eNCA. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  4. ↑ "Iono FM Podcast Episode". Iono FM. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  5. ↑ "Zimbabwe: Findings of the Rights Fact-Finding Mission" (PDF). International Commission of Jurists. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  6. ↑ "Council tightens screws on corruption". Harare City Council. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  7. ↑ "Cities' capacity to design revenue-generating initiatives is constrained, says Harare mayor". AZERTAG. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  8. ↑ "CLR Jacob Mafume elected new Harare mayor". University of Zimbabwe College of Arts and Humanities. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  9. ↑ "Jacob Mafume". Amalici Cities. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  10. ↑ "Jacob Mafume: Man with a job to do or harbinger of post-opposition politics?". Nehanda Radio. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  11. ↑ "Jacob Mafume, Harare Mayor, Zimbabwe Politician and Lawyer In Conversation With Trevor". In Conversation with Trevor. Heart & Soul Broadcasting Services. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-27 – via YouTube.
  12. ↑ Nel, Etienne L.; Illgner, Peter M.; Wilkins, K.; Robertson, M. P. (March 2000). "Rural Self-Reliance in Bondolfi, Zimbabwe: The Role of Beekeeping". The Geographical Journal. 166 (1): 26–34. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4959.2000.tb00004.x. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  13. ↑ "Jacob Mafume". Amalici Cities. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  14. ↑ "Zinasu". Zinasu. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  15. ↑ "SAIH". SAIH. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  16. ↑ Zimbabwe: Ongoing risks for human rights defenders in the context of political deadlock and pre-electoral period (PDF) (Report). Lawyers for Human Rights. November 2012. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  17. ↑ "Tsvangirai: I am greatly misjudged". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  18. ↑ "Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Morgan Tsvangirai Wins First Round of Presidential Vote". VOA Zimbabwe. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  19. ↑ "Zimbabwe's Economy Faces Challenges Amid Political Tensions". VOA Zimbabwe. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  20. ↑ "Mangoma colleagues defy expulsion". The Herald. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  21. ↑ "MDCs to hold joint congress". The Herald. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  22. ↑ "Zimbabwe's Mugabe: A life of power and controversy". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  23. ↑ "Zimbabwe: Arrest of Harare Mayor Mafume — Incompetence or Corruption?". The Africa Report. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  24. ↑ "Mafume suspended as councillor". The Herald. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  25. ↑ "Council working to align with national development agenda - Mafume". The Herald. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  26. ↑ "Shun corruption, mayor tells city cops". Harare City Council. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  27. ↑ "City confident Rufaro Stadium rehabilitation will be completed". Harare City Council. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  28. ↑ "Mafume hands over Rufaro Stadium rehabilitation project to Makoni". State of the Nation. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  29. ↑ "Harare Mayor Mafume slams councilors". Solar Options. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  30. ↑ "Geo Pomona takes over Harare refuse collection". Geo Pomona. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  31. ↑ "Geo Pomona takes over Harare refuse collection". Geo Pomona. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  32. ↑ "Harare traffic jams will only worsen - Mafume urges residents to ditch private cars". New Zimbabwe. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  33. ↑ "Closer to camps than settlements – Mayor Mafume lays bare Harare's informal housing crisis as Parliament tours the capital". Spiked Media. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  34. ↑ "Mafume case". Sheria Hub. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  35. ↑ "Zimbabwe: Harare City Council Seeks $1.2 Billion for City Operations". AllAfrica. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  36. ↑ "Mafume released after questioning as ZACC arrests Harare deputy mayor Muronda, ex-MP Mashayamombe". New Zimbabwe. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  37. ↑ "Zimbabwe court jails capital's mayor". The Citizen. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  38. ↑ "Mayoress Mafume donates to the less privileged". Harare City Council. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  39. ↑ "Mother of Harare Mayor Mafume has died". Pindula. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
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