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Blessings Chidakwa

Herald Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has appointed Mr Allen Choruma as Head-Corporate Governance Unit and Mr Christopher Shumba as the director-general of the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency.

Both positions are in the Office of the President and Cabinet.

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda announced the appointments in a statement.

Dr Sibanda said Mr Choruma replaces Mr Willard Lowenstein Manungo who was promoted to the post of Deputy Chief Secretary for Policy Analysis, Co-ordination and Development Planning in the OPC.

He said before Mr Choruma’s elevation to head the reconstituted Corporate Governance Unit, he was the Chief Director responsible for Corporate Governance in the OPC.

“His Excellency the President, in consultation with the Public Service Commission, has since approved the appointment of Mr Allen Choruma as Head, Corporate Governance Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet,” said Dr Sibanda.

Mr Choruma, whose appointment is with effect from October 20, 2022, holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and post-graduate certifications in insurance and pension management.

He has 32 years of experience in business management and public, legal, insurance, media, banking, financial and mining services gained from working in Zimbabwe, United States, United Kingdom and South Africa.

Mr Choruma has worked in Government, the insurance sector, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the mining sector in Zimbabwe and South Africa where he provided legal, compliance and corporate governance services.

He also played a central role in developing the public entities corporate governance legislation in Zimbabwe.

Mr Choruma has accumulated a wealth of experience in managing boards of directors, training and developing directors, undertaking board evaluations, performance contracting, strategy development, and in ethics and risk management.

He is also a prolific writer, researcher and publisher, who for two decades was a Business Correspondent for different daily and weekly newspapers in Zimbabwe and for African monthly magazines.

Dr Sibanda said the appointment of Mr Shumba follows the coming into effect of Statutory Instrument 171 of 2022 on District Development Fund (Rural Infrastructure Development Agency) Regulations.

“The primary purpose of the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency is to promote inclusive and sustainable transformation of rural economies and other communities through the provision of requisite infrastructure services,” he said.

“In terms of the District Development Fund (Rural Infrastructure Development Agency) Regulations of 2022, the District Development Fund remains the primary instrument to finance the operations of the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency.”

Mr Shumba, who was the Permanent Secretary of the District Development Fund, assumed the post at the level of Accounting Permanent Secretary with effect from 20 October, 2022.