Online Reporter
Oliver Kazunga-Senior Business Reporter
ONE of Africa’s most respected engineering leaders Dr Martin Manuhwa has been honoured with two prestigious awards at the Southern Africa Federation of Engineering Organisations (ASFEO) General Assembly and Awards Ceremony in Botswana.
The awards held in Gaborone on July 4 and 5, were presented by Botswana’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Noah Salakae, and SAFEO president Eng Linda Moseki, in recognition of Dr Manuhwa who is also Zisco board chair for his outstanding achievements in engineering excellence, innovation, and capacity building across the continent and beyond.
A second special award acknowledged Dr Manuhwa’s role as the founding president of SAFEO, celebrating his vision and leadership in establishing a strong platform for regional engineering cooperation.
His work has laid the foundation for harmonised standards, professional development, and mutual recognition of qualifications across Southern Africa.
“This honour is not mine alone.
“It belongs to all the engineers across Africa who continue to innovate, educate, and build under difficult conditions. Engineering is the backbone of development, and I am proud to serve this great profession,” said Dr Manuhwa in his acceptance speech.
Presently, Dr Manuhwa also serves as vice president of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) and chairman of the world engineering body’s capacity building committee.
Dr Manuhwa has been a tireless advocate for engineering education, sustainable infrastructure, and the empowerment of young and emerging professionals.
He has consistently championed African-led development through home-grown engineering solutions, positioning the continent as a serious contributor to global technical advancement.
Also recognised at the ceremony was Eng Michelle Sibongile Maphosa, a Zimbabwean who received the SAFEO Award for Innovation in Public Engagement for her inspiring “Sibo the Engineer” project.
Through this creative STEM education initiative, Eng. Maphosa is making engineering more accessible to young people — particularly girls — by using storytelling and animated characters to demystify science and technology.
SAFEO) is the leading regional engineering body bringing together institutions and regulatory authorities from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
SAFEO operates under the broader umbrella of the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO) and is guided by the African Union’s Agenda 2063, as well as the SADC and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
