Zimbabwe women bank snubs Matebeleland talent

HISTORY was made when the Zimbabwe Women's Microfinance Bank (ZWMB) was unveiled, becoming the first bank in Southern Africa dedicated solely to transform and economically empower women. A look at the Board and Management reveals the Matebeleland is not represented. It is not clear if there are any assurances that Matabeleland women will benefit from this project.

If the composition of the Board and the Management team is anything to go by, women from Matebeleland are in for a rude awakening.

The Board comprises of 8 members and just by looking at the names, Matebeleland women will not benefit anything from this noble project. The management team of 12 individuals makes someone from the region suffer from a heartache.

The bank was created by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development in order to alleviate poverty and give women access to financial services especially those in remote areas. The bank represents one of the strategies put in place by the government to empower women by ensuring that they access money at concessionary rates.

The micro-finance bank is expected to avail cash to the informal sector at reasonable interest rates, with less stringent requirements to women since women usually fail to access money from conventional banks due to lack of collateral.

Observers reason that microfinance institutions play a critical role in providing finance to smaller businesses which are shunned by the larger commercial banks due to the perceived high default rate.

It is estimated that about 60 percent of the population in the informal sector are women engaged in vending and various entrepreneurial projects.

The bank was capitalised to the tune of $10 million by the government.



Below are the names of Board Members and the Management Team.

Board Members
Matthews Tichaona Kunaka - Board Chairperson
Dr Lucia Mandengenda - Board Vice Chairperson
Steyn S. Berejena - Board Member
Abraham Kamanga - Board Member
Pamela Mhlanga - Board Member
Ivan Gibson Dumba - Board Member
Margireta Makuwaza - Board Member
Manyara Mercy Chigundura - Board Member

Management Team
Mrs Martha Marikanda - CEO
Mr Bright Magura - CFO
Mr Silent Gonondo - Head of Operations
Mrs Kudakwashe Makwara - Head of Human Resources
Mrs Clarah  Mukosera -Head Retail Banking
Mr Jemitias Rodze - Head of ICT
Mr Selestino Chikwatura - Head of Treasury
Mrs Tendayi Mavhunga - Head of Internal Audit
Miss Barbara Mayengwa - Head of Marketing and Public Relations
Miss Axilia Chakava - Head of Credit
Mrs Sitshengisiwe Mahachi - Legal Manager
Mr Fungai Chikanya - Branch Manager


Recently chaos rocked Pick n Pay on Thursday as members of Mthwakazi People Republic protested against one of the company's manager for firing almost 15 people and replacing them with people allegedly from Kwekwe, there has been a call to consumers, asking them not to buy at the retailers in solidarity with the strikers.

TM Pick n Pay in Bulawayo is rocked by serious tribalism where a number of Ndebele speaking workers are reportedly continuously being replaced by Shona speakers.

Matebeleland pressure groups called for a boycott of Pick n Pay products and the be shut down of the shop until the matter had been resolved.