President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed what he calls a Presidential Advisory Council (PAC). According to the President, the PAC will serve as a sounding board on key economic reforms, issues and initiatives. The members have been drawn from different economic spheres. We take a look at each appointee and what they bring to the table.
1. Busisa Moyo
Busisa is a business executive, industrialist and entrepreneur. Currently, he is the Chief Executive Officer of United Refineries Limited. He has expertise in corporate finance, manufacturing and mining.
2. Joe Mutizwa
He is a former Delta Corporation Chief Executive Officer and current Managing Partner of JSM Strategic Pathways, a leadership, coaching and consulting firm. He was involved in the liberation war and was once a political prisoner before independence.
3. Kudakwashe Tagwirei
Mr Tagwirei is the founder of Sakunda Holdings, the largest fuel industry player in the country at the moment. His background is mainly in oil and gas trading and contract farming. He is believed to have financed a huge part of the government’s command agriculture scheme.
4. Divine Ndhlukula
She is the Founder and Managing Director of DDNS Security Operations, the holding company of Securico Security Services, Multi Link and Canine Dog Services. Currently, she is also the President of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC).
5. Zondo Sakala
Currently, Zondo is the Chief Executive Officer of the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ). He is a former Vice President of the African Development Bank. Zondo has also previously worked for government in the then Ministry of Manpower and Planning Development.
6. Somkhosi Malaba
Somkhosi is a former RBZ Deputy Governor. Currently, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Agribank. Notably, he has produced several policy documents for government such as Vision 2020, Population and Privatisation Policies.
7. Lewis Musasike
He is a seasoned banker who has worked for Standard Bank Africa and DBSA before. He is the current Chief Executive Officer of Africa Next Investment Holdings.
8. Dr Norbert Mugwagwa
Dr Mugwagwa is a health and social protection expert. Previously, he has worked for the World Bank as well as the government of Zimbabwe in different health related posts.
9. Dr Godfrey Sikipa
He is the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Technical Advisor of Compare Health Services, a private health consulting company. Dr Sikipa has worked for the United Nations and was once Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry. He also has vast experience in the NGO sector specialising in health.
10. Remigius Makumbe
He is the former Director of Infrastructure and Services at SADC. Remigius is an infrastructure development expert.
11. Simbarashe Mangwengwende
Currently, Mr Mangwengwende is a Managing Consultant at Hydro Power Consultants. He is an electrical power engineer and management specialist.
12. Dr Lindiwe Sibanda
Dr Sibanda is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for the Advancement of Scholarships at the University of Pretoria. She has experience in a number of agriculture and rural development related international organisations like the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
13. Aenias Chuma
He has worked at the RBZ as a macroeconomist and econometrician before. Aenias has also worked for the United Nations in different African countries like Kenya, Zambia and Mozambique.
14. Elisa Ravengai
Elisa is a development practitioner and specialises in human rights issues. Currently, she works for the Federation of Organisations of Disabled People of Zimbabwe. She represents people with disabilities on this council.
15. Edwin Manikai
A legal practitioner, Edwin is a Partner at Dube, Manikai and Hwacha. He is also a Director of Starafrica Corporarion and Cottco among other boards.
16. Professor Kusvinetsa Dzvimbo
Prof Dzvimbo is the current Vice Chancellor at the Vaal University of Technology. He has worked at Unisa, the Zimbabwe Open University and the University of Zimbabwe at Vice Chancellor level.
17. Professor Robson Mafoti
He is the Director General and chairman at the Pan African Minerals University of Science and Technology. He has global experience in licencing and patenting, research and development and operations support.
18. Natalie Javangwe
Natalie is the Chief Executive Officer of Ecocash. She has experience in financial technology services in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. She has worked for NCR Corporation before.
19. Herbert Nkala
Mr Nkala is the Chairman of Turnall Fibre, Grain Bag, FBC Holdings and others. He is a former Chief Executive Officer of the Rainbow Tourism Group. He is also a former Non-Executive Chairman of African Sun.
20. Trevor Ncube
Trevor is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Mail and Guardian, The Standard and the Zimbabwe Independent newspapers. He is also an entrepreneur.
21. Janah Ncube
Janah has worked for several civic society organisations at very senior levels before. These include Oxfam, Women in Politics Support Unit and the Women’s Action Group.
22. Dr Shingi Munyeza
A Pastor and entrepreneur, Dr Munyeza is a leading food industry franchisee who has opened several Newscafe, Ocean Basket and Rocomamas shops in and out of the country.
23. Simon Hammond
Simon is the Managing Director of CABS. He has previously worked for KPMG and Old Mutual. He sits on the Delta Corporation board.
24. Richard Wilde
He is a former RBZ Deputy Governor. Currently, he is the Chairman of CBZ Holdings. Richard also sits on many boards.
25. Mfaro Moyo
Mfaro has worked for government in different capacities which include that of Deputy Secretary. He has also worked for UNDP in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Uganda.
One member of the council, Dr Kenneth Mtata unfortunately declined the appointment choosing to focus on his role at the Zimbabwe Council of Churches.
With a full compliment of Ministers and their deputies, many people are wondering how many more advisors the President needs. As many as possible maybe. The more the merrier, they say. Let’s wait and see.
