Gender commission boss lady driven

Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
EQUAL opportunities for men and women have been a topical issue in all spaces with women clamouring for equal participation and representation with their male counterparts.

Mrs Yaliwe Mudzinganyama (49), is one such woman who advocates for women’s inclusion in all work spaces and has led by example in practicing what she preaches as she is employed as a driver by the Zimbabwe Gender

Commission and drives its chief executive officer, Mrs Virginia Muwanigwa.

She said she started learning how to drive after her husband bought a car for her yet she did not know how to drive.

“In 1998 I started to learn how to drive after my husband, who is now late, bought me a car.

It was a Mazda 323 hatchback. I attempted several times to get a driver’s licence and I was failing.

The car was now there and I had to push so hard to get the licence as the car was locked up at home,” she said.

Mrs Mudzinganyama said growing up, she admired women who drove cars.

“They were not many back then but I always admired women who drove cars and I always told myself that I would love to drive a car one day and not be driven by men and that dream became a reality.

When I started driving, my husband stopped taking me around as I was now able to do it alone,” she said.

Mrs Mudzinganyama said she worked in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education as a driver on her first assignment.

“I worked at a teacher’s college where I drove the vice-principal until she retired.

That is when I saw vacancies for the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and I applied.

“I went there but I was not too sure of myself, they wanted a female driver specifically and I was very fortunate that I made it and I have been working there since February 2020. I drive the CEO, Mrs Muwanigwa,” she said.

She said she feels honoured to drive a woman who happens to be her boss.

“You have heard of stories of women failing to work well together because of one reason or another, but we are a great team and we work well together. It is all about discipline and humility.

I drive my boss all over the country and the experience has been nothing but great.

“Women can do it; these jobs are not designed for men only but anyone can do it just like they have.

If I get a tyre puncture, I am able to change it.

I can do general service on a car, I told myself that I must not have a breakdown when I’m on the road so I learnt how to do these things alone.

I first do what I can before I call for help,” she said.

Mrs Mudzinganyama is a holder of a class two driver’s licence which enables her to drive trucks.

She encouraged women not to feel discouraged if they are not academically gifted as they are able to do other things.

“Women can do it, imagine the pain of wanting to go on a holiday with your children or to run simple errands locally and you cannot drive but the cars are there at your home.

Let’s do some of these basic things and make a difference and make our lives better,” she said.