The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
ZANU PF Youth League indigenisation and empowerment secretary, Cde Mike Chimombe, was on Friday appointed president of the indigenous business lobby group Affirmative Action Group (AAG) at an annual general meeting held in the capital.
He will be deputised by entrepreneur-cum-preacher Passion Java, Ms Anastancia Ndhlovu, Mr Munyaradzi Kashambe and Mr Mabutho Moyo.
Clifford Hlupeko will assume the role of secretary-general, while Mr Scott Sakupwanya is the treasurer-general. Ari Goldenstein will be in charge of communications and advocacy, while Mr Tafadzwa Musukume will be the legal advisor.
The Herald’s managing editor Ruth Butaumocho was appointed national executive member in charge of media advisory services. In his acceptance speech, Cde Chimombe, who previously served as AAG’s president for Mashonaland West, praised President Mnangagwa for bringing the indigenisation and black empowerment agenda back on track.
“I am glad that the empowerment agenda has been revived. Undoubtedly, with a team with the experience, skills and zeal that we have, we will galvanise the youth, women and other stakeholders to His Excellency’s call for production as we move to support National Development Strategy 1,” he said.
“We accept the duty ahead and are ready to hit the ground sprinting. The strength of our organisation will be anchored on our team work and shared vision. I am just here to steer the agenda, but you are the engine which will get the job done as a collective.”
Cde Chimombe paid tribute to AAG’s founding president Dr Philip Chiyangwa for setting the trajectory for black empowerment in the country.
“Our founding president and the ensuing administrations sparked the flame that set the trajectory for black Zimbabweans to play an active role in the economic development agenda of our beautiful country in general, and in particular in an economy that was structurally difficult to penetrate,” he said.
“It is that generation that produced the Philip Chiyangwas, James Makambas, Strive Masiyiwas, Frank Buyangas and the Shingai Mutasas of this world. It was a generation that set the tone and trail blazed against all odds. Fast forward to today, we assume the voice of this generation, we take on the baton with boldness, pride and utmost humility for the task that awaits us in the Second Republic to support and become active players in the realisation of Vision 2030 as espoused by His Excellency President Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.”
AAG is a lobby group formed in 1994 to promote black economic empowerment. It has produced some of the country’s leading entrepreneurs like Dr Chiyangwa, the late Cde Tendai Savanhu and media mogul Mr Supa Mandiwanzira.
