ZIMBABWE Achievers Awards (ZAA) founder and chairman Conrad Mwanza has said he will be stepping down this year after serving as chief executive officer for a decade.
Mwanza disclosed his plans last week during a virtual event dubbed The Big Reveal that was meant to announce nominees for the ZAA United Kingdom 10th anniversary awards set for September 11.
In a follow-up interview with NewsDay Life & Style, Mwanza said it was not easy to be chief executive officer for a decade as one had to navigate various dynamics, especially for an apolitical organisation.
“It has been a good experience, it really opened my eyes in terms of how as a country we could do very well if we were to put our political views on one side and not be fragmented. The experience has been that of being proud of my country, what my fellow countrymen are achieving in the United States of America, Canada and Australia,” he said.
“You also have to navigate your way around relationships and our sometimes polarised community. It has been a very fulfilling task that also had its stormy times, but I would not swap it for anything else.”
Mwanza said he would pass the stick to a young person with fresh ideas.
“My hope is that the ZAA legacy will continue celebrating our people and their achievements. I have been on the hunt on who will become the chief executive officer and the announcement will be done in due course,” he said.
“I want to encourage women leadership and hope the next person to take over will be a lady, a much younger person.”
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Meanwhile, Mwanza said voting for the ZAA UK 2021 awards’ nominees across the four categories namely business and professional, community and sports, lifestyle and entertainment would start on July 19 and close on August 15.
“This year we will be commemorating our 10th anniversary and reflecting on a decade that has been fruitful in changing the misconceptions about the abilities of our communities over the years. We started this vision with a view to highlight the stories of positive achievement and impact by Zimbabweans,” he said.
The nominee list includes musicians, business leaders, young sports personalities, community champions and innovators, among others. The list of nominees can be accessed online.
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