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First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe

Lovemore Ranga Mataire Senior Writer—
The highly-subscribed one-day NamZim Newspaper Empowering and Mentoring Women in Leadership Conference kicks-off today at a Harare hotel where the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe is expected to deliver the keynote address. NamZim newspapers is the publisher of The Southern Times, a regional weekly newspaper born out of a joint venture project between Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980)Limited (Zimpapers) and New Era Publications Corporation of Namibia.

The Southern Times general manager Mrs Gwen Synders said the company felt it important to hold the conference in Zimbabwe following a similar successful conference held in Namibia last year.

“Given the overwhelming response we have received, the plan is to make this conference an annual event where we invite influential women, aspiring leaders of tomorrow as well as women from all walks of life,” said Mrs Synders.

Prominent South African businesswoman and celebrity, Gerry Eldson Rantseli is among guests who will address participants at the conference.

She is involved in several projects and in 2008 she was appointed Head of Television and Broadcasting for Allenby Campus. She heads her own company called Cinnamon Communications (Learn, Grow and Experience the Essence of Life).

Ms Tafuna Mumba-Phiri from Zambia will also address the conference and will focus on strategies to succeed in a male dominated society. Mumba-Phiri is a legal practitioner with 14 years experience.

Another lawyer who is scheduled to share her experiences is Ms Seodi White from Malawi with 18 years experience as a change agent, socio and international development practitioner and now a business and life coach.

Mrs Twapewa Kadhikwa from Namibia, whose paper will focus on women entrepreneurship, is a self-made entrepreneur who at the age of 18 supported her studies at the University of Namibia through her own earnings from her business activities.

Mrs Kadhikwa has expanded her business interests into manufacturing hair products and together with her husband have established the Xwama Cultural Village and Traditional Restaurant which celebrate Namibian and African culture.

The testimony of beauty with brains is reflected in Ms Nancy Sumari from Tanzania who is also expected at the event. Ms Sumari is a former Miss Tanzania and the first Miss Tanzania to reach the Miss World contest. Having co-founded the Tanzanian Women Achievement Awards, Ms Sumari is committed to the plight of gender equality.

Zimbabwe will have two speakers in Ms Edna Mukurazhizha and Ms Chipo Mtasa. Ms Mukurazhizha is the founding director of Woman Excel, an organisation that seeks to empower women to break out of mediocrity to greatness.

Mtasa is an accomplished chief executive whose career has earned her a reputation for operational efficiency, long term viability and stellar leadership acumen. She is a chartered accountant and a seasoned executive by repeated appointments and achievements. She is the TelOne managing director. Over 200 delegates are expected to attend the conference.