Sekai Nzenza

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Sekai Nzenza in 2023

Sekai Irene Nzenza Kanhutu is a distinguished Zimbabwean diplomat, development practitioner, corporate leader, writer, cultural critic and politician. [1]

Contents

Biography

She was born in rural Zimbabwe, where she trained as a nurse, before doing additional nursing studies in England and subsequently going to live in Australia. [2]

Her semi-autobiographical first book, Zimbabwean Woman: My Own Story, was published in 1988. Her book Songs to an African Sunset (1997) describes her return to her family's village in the early 1990s. [3] [4] She has a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Melbourne. [5] [6]

Dr. Nzenza's extensive international development experience includes leadership roles with World Vision in Australia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka, managing health, development, and relief programs. Her global impact expanded during her secondment to World Vision International headquarters in Los Angeles, where she contributed to a global strategy across 98 countries and led governance and change management.

Dr. Nzenza served as Chief Executive Officer of Amatheon Agri Zimbabwe [7] . In this executive role, she directed large-scale industrial and commercial farming, driving innovation in agricultural value chains and championing sustainable food production.

Sekai wrote a weekly column for The Herald newspaper from 2011 to 2018, [8] often returning to the theme of Zimbabweans reclaiming their cultural heritage and village roots. She entered politics as the Member for Chikomba East in Zimbabwe's 2018 harmonised elections. [9] She was appointed as Zimbabwe's Minister of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare on 7 September 2018. [10] As Minister of Industry and Commerce, she modernized Zimbabwe’s industrial base, fostering economic diversification, and attracted strategic investments across key sectors, advancing industrial growth and value chain integration.

In 2024, she was appointed Ambassador of Zimbabwe to France, Spain, Portugal and the Holy See [11] and Permanent Representative to UNESCO and the World Tourism Organization. [12] [13]

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ "Sekai Shand". AustLit. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  2. ↑ Busby, Margaret (ed.), "Sekai Nzenza", in Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent from the Ancient Egyptian to the Present , London: Jonathan Cape, 1992; Vintage, 1993, p. 855.
  3. ↑ Nzenza-Shand, Sekai. Songs to an African Sunset: A Zimbabwean Story (1997) ( ISBN   978-0864424723).
  4. ↑ (30 October 2003) "Life Matters: Feature Interview: Dr Sekai Nzenza-Shand", Radio National
  5. ↑ Sylvester, Christine, Fictional Development Sovereignties, in Edkins, Jenny, et al. (eds), Sovereign Lives: Power in Global Politics, Routledge 2004, pp. 143–44 ( ISBN   978-0415947350).
  6. ↑ Bond, Marybeth, & Pamela Michael, A Woman's Passion for Travel: True Stories of World Wanderlust, 2004, p. 65 ( ISBN   978-1932361148).
  7. ↑ "Amatheon Represented At United Nations Conference On Trade And Development In Nairobi » Amatheon Agri". Amatheon Agri. 24 July 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  8. ↑ Nzenza, Sekai, "A farewell to readers of my column", The Herald, 16 May 2018.
  9. ↑ Matabvu, Debra, "Chikomba East ready for Dr Nzenza", The Sunday Mail, 15 July 2018.
  10. ↑ Butaumocho, Ruth, "Nzenza: People’s servant with heart of gold", The Herald, 26 September 2018.
  11. ↑ Maziva, David Misheck; admin1760 (15 November 2024). "Zimparis - The Republic of Zimbabwe". Zimparis. Retrieved 6 February 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Reporter, Online (24 January 2026). "Zimbabwe ready to host another major global tourism event". herald. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  13. ↑ "The Ambassador".
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