The tale of Conrad Mwanza: Wherever he goes, Zim goes with him

Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]
WHEREVER Conrad Mwanza goes in the world, Zimbabwe goes with him. From London to Johannesburg, Dubai to New York, the Bulawayo-born entrepreneur has spent more than a decade building platforms that celebrate Zimbabwean excellence and tell a different story about his country. But despite his global footprint, he remains deeply connected to the city that shaped him.

Today, Mwanza is known as the founder of the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards (ZAA), author of The Zimbabwean Dream and Group CEO of Destiny Media Group. His work spans media, public relations, events and diaspora engagement across several countries. Yet behind the titles and international engagements is a man who still considers himself an Entumbane boy at heart.

“I am a very proud son of Bulawayo. That city is a huge part of who I am. I grew up in Entumbane, went to school there and later attended Milton High School before going on to Bulawayo Polytechnic. Those formative years taught me lessons that I still carry with me today – resilience, community, humility and the importance of believing that your circumstances do not have to determine the size of your dreams.”

Growing up in Bulawayo gave him more than an education. It gave him a sense of identity and belonging that continues to influence the way he works and leads.

“Bulawayo also had a particular character. There was culture, sport, music, industry and this wonderful sense of community. You learnt that you were part of something bigger than yourself. People looked out for each other.”

Friends and colleagues describe Mwanza as someone who sees opportunities where others see obstacles, a trait he openly acknowledges.

“I’ve also always been somebody who sees the glass as half full rather than half empty. Where somebody sees a problem, my instinct is usually to ask, ‘Where is the opportunity?’

I think that attitude has shaped almost everything I’ve subsequently done.”

His journey took a major turn when he moved to the United Kingdom. Living abroad gave him a fresh perspective on both Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwean community scattered across the globe.

“Moving to the UK opened another chapter. Suddenly, I was seeing Zimbabwe from the outside. Distance gives you perspective. You begin to understand both what your country gave you and how the rest of the world perceives it.”

That experience gradually led him towards media, entrepreneurship and storytelling.

“I don’t think there was one dramatic moment when I decided that storytelling, media, entrepreneurship and connecting people would become my life’s work. It evolved naturally. I realised that I enjoyed bringing people together, creating platforms and, importantly, changing narratives. I have always believed that if somebody else is telling your story, you cannot complain when they tell it incorrectly. At some point, you have to pick up the pen and tell it yourself.”

That belief became the foundation of the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards, launched in 2010.
At the time, much of the international conversation about Zimbabwe focused on challenges facing the country. Mwanza believed there was another side to the story that was not being told.

“When we started the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards in 2010, there was a very particular narrative around Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans internationally. A lot of the global conversation about our country was negative. Yet that wasn’t the Zimbabwe I was encountering every day.”

Instead, he was meeting Zimbabweans excelling in different professions around the world.

“I was meeting Zimbabwean doctors, nurses, academics, entrepreneurs, engineers, creatives, sportspeople and professionals doing extraordinary things around the world. I kept thinking: Who is telling these stories? Who is celebrating these people?”

The answer became the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards.

“That was really the light-bulb moment. I felt that we needed a platform that could hold up a mirror to ourselves and say, “Look at what Zimbabweans are capable of.””

Over the years, the awards have grown into one of the most recognised platforms celebrating Zimbabweans at home and abroad. For Mwanza, however, the mission was always bigger than the trophies.

“ZAA was never just about trophies or glamorous evenings. The award is almost secondary. The bigger mission has always been about changing the narrative, creating networks and restoring confidence in ourselves.”

What began in the UK eventually expanded into a global network connecting Zimbabweans across continents.

“We started in the UK, but the vision was always bigger than Britain. Zimbabweans are everywhere, and wherever we go, we contribute. We build businesses, hospitals, universities, communities and institutions. For me, the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards became a way of documenting that excellence and connecting it back to Zimbabwe. And perhaps most importantly, it told a generation of young Zimbabweans: your nationality is not a limitation. It is something you can carry with pride.”

His passion for changing perceptions also inspired his latest project, The Zimbabwean Dream, a book that challenges Zimbabweans to reimagine their country’s future.

“The Zimbabwean Dream is deeply personal because I genuinely believe Zimbabwe is one of the best places in the world to live. Sometimes when I say that, people look at me as though I’m being overly optimistic. I’m not. I’ve travelled. I’ve seen different countries, different economies and different societies. And travelling has actually strengthened my conviction about Zimbabwe. Our biggest problem is that we don’t fully realise what we have.”

Like any entrepreneur, Mwanza’s journey has not been without setbacks. There have been failed ideas, financial pressures and personal sacrifices. But those experiences have strengthened his determination to build something lasting.

His greatest hope is that the platforms he has created will inspire future generations.

“If something I have built inspires a young Zimbabwean from Entumbane, Mbare, Mkoba, Sakubva, Tshovani or anywhere else to believe that they can operate on a global stage without surrendering their Zimbabwean identity, that would mean more to me than any award I could personally receive.”

Despite spending much of his life travelling, Mwanza says there is no place quite like home.

“But the irony is that the more I travel, the more I appreciate Zimbabwe. You can fly thousands of miles looking for what, in many respects, we already have at home. There are few things that compare with Zimbabwe’s climate, our open spaces, our hospitality, our food, our natural beauty and the warmth of our people. There is something about landing back home that immediately reconnects you with yourself.”
And whenever he returns to Bulawayo, the feeling is even stronger. “And obviously, as a proud Bulawayo boy, there’s always something special about being back in the City of Kings!”

Away from work, Mwanza has learnt to appreciate life’s simpler pleasures.

“When I’m not working, I value simple things more and more. Good company, good conversation, travelling without an agenda, spending time with family and friends, enjoying Zimbabwe and occasionally allowing myself to switch off from constantly thinking about the next project.”

He also believes success is not always about doing more.

“I think as entrepreneurs we sometimes become addicted to movement. We think being busy means being productive. I’ve learnt that stepping away is important too. Some of your clearest ideas arrive when you’re not sitting behind a desk trying to have them.”

For a man who has built a career connecting people, celebrating achievement and challenging stereotypes, the message remains simple.

“Ultimately, whether I’m in London, New York, Johannesburg, Dubai or anywhere else in the world, I carry Zimbabwe with me. And perhaps that is the essence of The Zimbabwean Dream: to go out into the world, learn from it, compete in it and succeed in it – but never forget where you come from, and always find a way to bring something back home.”

It is a philosophy that has guided Conrad Mwanza’s journey from the streets of Entumbane to the global stage, and one he hopes will inspire many more Zimbabweans to dream bigger without losing sight of where they come from.