Amai Mnangagwa to be honored in South Africa

Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
FIRST Lady Dr Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa will today be honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the ongoing annual continental convention for the Young Women of Africa in Mildrand, South Africa.

The lifetime achievement is in recognition of her contribution in fighting for the rights and representation of women on the continent as well as using her position to advance gender equality.

The Young Women of Africa (YWA) comprises young women activists from liberation movements, political parties and civic organisations that have been meeting to discuss the quality of life of young women and the girl child in Africa.

The young women are drawn from different African countries and the diaspora.

YWA deputy convener who is also a Zanu-PF Central Committee Cde Sibongile Sibanda member said the First Lady would be honored together with other former and current First Ladies.

“Tomorrow (today) the YWA will honour Dr Amai Mnangagwa with a life time achievement award. She will receive the award together with the former First Lady of the Democratic Republic of Congo Olive Lembe. She will be given the award for her outstanding work in leading initiatives that empower young women and contribute to making their lives and communities better than before.

“The First Lady of Angola Dra Ana Dias Lourenco, and Dr Amai Mnangagwa will be honoured for their contribution in fighting for the rights and representation of women on the continent as well as using their positions to advance gender equality,” said Cde Sibanda.

Cde Sibanda spoke on how the women movement was formed and some of its objectives saying:
“After extensive engagements and deliberations over a period, we took a collective decision to form a movement of Young Women in the whole continent that will strive towards building a better Africa for ourselves, eradicate all forms of oppression and to struggle for women emancipation and against imperialism,” she said.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa David Hamadziripi addressed the delegates at the convention representing Zanu-PF National Commissar Cde Mike Bimha and spoke of some of the party’s efforts to promote gender equality and women emancipation.

“Upon and since the attainment of independence, the majority-led Government led by Zanu-PF, has pursued, adopted and implemented a wide range of policies aimed at the upliftment of the women of Zimbabwe. Those policies have resulted in the improvement of the status of women in Zimbabwe and enhancement of their contributions to the general development of the country.

“In 2018, Zimbabwe went to elections which ushered the Second Republic under the able leadership of His Excellency Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. This saw the promotion of more female Members of Parliament into Cabinet as Ministers of key portfolios, Deputy Ministers and to other senior and strategic posts in Government,” said Cde Bimha.

He said at party level they are ably chaired by a vibrant woman Cde Oppah Muchinguri, who is also the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs.

“Recently the President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, His Excellency Cde Dr Mnangagwa extended the quota system from parliament to the local authority level. This entails that already 30 percent of councillors are women before adding to those who will enter through election,” said Cde Bimha.

The convention which started on 9 December ends tomorrow and it coincides with the commemoration of the movement’s first anniversary since its launch in December 2021. – @nyeve14