Online Reporter
Michelle Musandinyoze and Tanaka Nkala, Zimpapers Writers
SCORES of people, among them distinguished businesspeople and community leaders yesterday bade farewell to an entrepreneur and a distinguished leader in women’s empowerment Ms Sibusisiwe “Busi” Precious Bango, during an emotional funeral service held at Amphitheatre in Bulawayo.
Ms Bango was described as a driving force in developing entrepreneurial skills and had a deep passion for economic inclusion.
She died on September 7 in her house in Indiana, in the United States of America, surrounded by family members and friends.
Many people thronged the Amphitheatre in Bulawayo to celebrate and honour the life of Ms Bango, who was also a strong advocate for women empowerment and the Girl Child.
Her two sons, Thandolwenkosi and Thandeka described their mother as a pillar of strength.
“Issues about the Girl Child was something very personal to her, which meant us welcoming them to our home and as such she had two sons and many daughters,” said Thandeka.
He said his mother offered financial, emotional and spiritual support to many people.
Ms Bango was the fifth of eight children in a family of pioneering black taxi operators, Bango family taxis. The early exposure to business, hustle and resilience shaped her life-long commitment to economic empowerment.
Kingdom Financial Holdings founder and businessman Mr Nigel Chanakira said Ms Bango introduced him to many businesspeople in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and in Geneva, Switzerland, where he ended up being on the global panel of adjudicators for women in business.
“Busi then became a cherished friend and we worked together on transforming and mentoring businesspeople,” he said
Born in Bulawayo in 1959, Ms Bango was raised with values of hard work, service and resilience. She completed a Bachelor of Business Studies (Honours) and later a Master of Business Administration at the University of Zimbabwe. These academic foundations prepared her for a career dedicated to finance, business and development.
After university, she worked in the treasury department of Bulawayo City Council.
That experience gave her exposure to municipal financial systems, policies and by-laws.
Ms Bango later worked for Empretec Zimbabwe where she served as chief executive officer for many years. Under her leadership and stewardship, the organisation grew to become a respected hub for entrepreneurship development, equipping thousands of Zimbabweans with practical tools to run sustainable businesses.
Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans — from rural farmers to urban innovators benefitted from Empretec’s programmes.
Ms Bango’s leadership was not confined to Zimbabwe. She worked with the World Bank, UNCTAD, UNDP, ILO and UN Women and contributed to the establishment of entrepreneurship and business development centres in countries such as Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
Her insights shaped global discourse on enterprise development and inclusive growth, always spotlighting Zimbabwe as a nation of resilience and innovation.
She carried the nation’s flag with pride on global stages, participating in high-level dialogues on entrepreneurship, inclusive growth and women’s empowerment. International agencies, Governments and development partners often turned to her for her insights grounded in real experience and a deep understanding of Africa’s development context.
