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Newly elected Institute of Chartered Accountants Zimbabwe (ICAZ) president Mr Jonas Jonga, a partner and chief operating officer at BDO Zimbabwe, has implored ICAZ members to future-proof the accounting profession and safeguard its relevance in a rapidly changing world.
He takes over from Mr Emmanuel Mudefi.
Addressing members following his election, Mr Jonga said the ICAZ 2026-2029 Strategy provides a clear direction on sustaining the future of the accounting profession in Zimbabwe.
Present during the inauguration were guest of honour Mr Matlhogonolo Valela, outgoing ICAZ president Mr Mudefi, ICAZ senior vice president Ms Angeline Muzira; ICAZ junior vice president Ms Kudakwashe Mswaka; past presidents of ICAZ Mr Bothwell Nyajeka, Mr Martin Makaya and Mr Brice Musendo, secretary of the Public Accountants and Auditors Board Mr Donald Mangenje, Auditor-General of Zimbabwe Mrs Vimbai Chikwenhere, council members, ICAZ chief executive officer Mr William Mandisodza and ICAZ members, among others.
“At its heart (strategy) is a simple reality: Our profession must remain relevant and influential in a rapidly changing world,” he said.
“Artificial intelligence is reshaping how services are delivered. Sustainability reporting is becoming central to corporate accountability. Public sector institutions are demanding greater transparency.
“Employers are looking for professionals who combine technical excellence with digital capability, commercial understanding and ethical leadership.
“In such a world, ICAZ cannot afford to be a passive observer. We must lead. We must remain relevant. We must future-proof the profession. Our strategy focuses on four priorities: future-ready, capacity, thought leadership, member experience and regulation and public trust.
“Together, these priorities will ensure that ICAZ remains a trusted institution, develops world-class professionals, serves its members effectively and continues to uphold the credibility of the designation.”
The new ICAZ president noted that the quality of the accounting profession matters because the quality of financial information shapes confidence in our economy, accountability in our institutions and trust in our markets.
It has consequences beyond firms and workplaces, he noted.
According to Mr Jonga, accountants contribute to national development.
“As we pursue the future, we must remain anchored in the values that have always defined ICAZ: honesty, responsibility and integrity. These are not ceremonial words,” he said.
“They are the foundation of our identity. They are the reason the public trusts us. And they remain non-negotiable.
“My commitment during this presidency is clear. I want ICAZ to be united in purpose, respected for its standards, valued by its members and influential in national conversations.
“I want every member to feel that ICAZ is their professional home, whether they serve in practice, business, Government, academia, entrepreneurship or the diaspora.
“I want our students and younger members to see a profession filled with opportunity, relevance and impact.”
Mr Jonga pledged to make sure that the public knows that ICAZ speaks with independence, professionalism and in the public interest. He told members that strategy without execution was only aspiration.
Mr Jonga said the success of the 2026-2029 strategy will depend not on the quality of the document, but on the discipline with which it is implemented.
He said ICAZ must build a high performing culture that is member-centred, collaborative and accountable.
“That is how we honour our past, not by preserving it in words alone, but by extending its meaning into the future,” he said.
“To our members, I say: This is your institute.
“Your participation matters. Your unity matters. To the council, I say: Let us lead with humility, discipline and maturity. To the secretariat, thank you for the work you do every day. We value your commitment and will support you in delivering the institute’s ambitions.
“To our students, you are not waiting for the future of ICAZ. You are the future of ICAZ. To our partners and stakeholders, ICAZ remains committed to serving the public interest and contributing to Zimbabwe’s development.
“As I accept this responsibility, I do so with humility, but also with hope. Hope because our foundations are strong. Hope because our members are talented. Hope because our values are timeless.
“Hope because the profession still matters. And hope because, when ICAZ is united, focused and courageous, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
“I genuinely believe the best days of ICAZ are not behind us. They are ahead of us. We inherit an institution of remarkable strength and reputation. Our responsibility is not simply to preserve it, but to elevate it.
“Let us, therefore, move forward together. Let us protect the legacy. Let us embrace the future.”
In his closing statement, Mr Jonga called on members to ensure that ICAZ renews its relevance.
“We are not merely custodians of ICAZ’s proud history. We are stewards of its future. The measure of our success will not be whether we preserved ICAZ for our generation,” he said.
“It will be whether we prepared ICAZ for the generations that follow. The future of ICAZ will not be written by one president, one council or one generation. It will be written by all of us, together. Thank you for your confidence. Thank you for your support. And thank you for the privilege to serve.
“May God bless you all.”
Reflecting on his election as ICAZ president, Mr Jonga said it was not a moment of personal triumph, but a call to service, responsibility to safeguard a proud legacy and strengthen the institution as well as prepare ICAZ for a future that will demand courage, relevance and unity.
For generations, Mr Jonga said, ICAZ had been more than a professional body. It has been a national institution.
“Its mission has always been bigger than examinations, designations or membership numbers. It has been about public trust, professional excellence and service to Zimbabwe’s economy.
“I wish to pay tribute to those who came before us,” he said.
“We stand on the shoulders of generations of chartered accountants, council members, committee members, secretariat staff and volunteers whose dedication built the institute we are privileged to serve today.
“They protected our standards, strengthened our reputation and defended the integrity of the profession. To them, we owe our gratitude. I wish to express particular appreciation to our outgoing president, Emmanuel Mudefi.
“Thank you for your leadership and stewardship during an important period in ICAZ’s journey.
“Under your leadership, the institute strengthened governance, expanded professional pathways, enhanced public sector engagement and laid important foundations for the future. I also congratulate the incoming presidium and council members.
“These are not positions of honour alone. They are positions of trust. Our members expect wisdom, maturity, diligence and service above self. I look forward to working with you in a spirit of collegiality, mutual respect and shared responsibility.”
Mr Jonga said that difference of opinion was not a weakness, but a part of the life of any democratic professional body, noting that what matters was how its members responded.
“We must not allow yesterday’s disagreements to define tomorrow’s possibilities,” he said.
“The future will not ask us who won an argument. The future will ask what we built together. And we have much to build.”
