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ZINASU appoints new advisory board
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)
May 14, 2010

The National Executive Council resolved that the new advisory Board be comprise of the following people with their structures as follows:

Board chairperson

Chalton Hwende is a former Sec General of ZINASU and has continuously offered support to the students' movement in various forms to the students' movement in Zimbabwe. The Union is most likely to benefit from the vast experience and knowledge that this man has acquired in his lifetime.

Vice board chairperson

Maureen Kademaunga is a former University of Zimbabwe student leader and former national chairperson of the Women's Student Network. After finishing her undergraduate studies in Sociology, Maureen worked for ZINASU as the Gender and Human Rights Officer, a position which she held for one year. In that year Maureen worked with the then leadership to mainstream gender issues in the ZINASU leadership, a programme which saw 4 female students out of the ten NEC members taking up positions at the 6th elective Congress. Maureen also worked with the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe as Advocacy Officer before leaving for the Netherlands where she is currently reading for a Masters in International Relations and Transnational Governance. At the end of her studies, she intends to come back to Zimbabwe and continue the fight for a just and fair Zimbabwe.

Board secretary

Pedzisai Ruhanya is a former student leader who fought together with the likes of Learnmore Jongwe, Charlton Hwende, and Phillip Pasirayi amongst others. He has vast knowledge in civic issues and has offered valuable advices to the Union in the past. He is a man of integrity and has a dream to see students operating independently without the influence of 'perennial student leaders. He is currently working for the Crisis in Zimbabwe where his input is not questionable.

Board members

Father Nigel Johnson is currently working with Radio Dialogue where he has been championing the opening up of the media fraternity to various stakeholders. He was once a Chaplain at the University of Zimbabwe and was identified with fighting for the students' cause. Despite leaving the oldest university in the land he has continuously supported student leaders mainly in Bulawayo where his workstation is based.

John Adrian Stewart is a former student leader in Europe and was once a Board member of ZINASU. During his era he brought with him unquestionable benefit to the Union in various forms. He did not cease to assist the Union in terms of ideas even during the period when a lot of partners had deserted the students' board.

Philip Pasirayi is a former student leader and his input in building the Union has been of great importance. He is currently with Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe and has been fought by various people when he advocated for a unified and student oriented ZINASU. Having a person like him will ensure that the Union will not go back in the hands of the 'perennial students'.

Timothy Mkahlera is a human rights' defender based in the capital of Midlands's province (Gweru). He has offered assistance to student leaders in times of trials and tribulations, his works also extend to other categories of activists. He supports anything to do with the full democratization of the country.

Advocate J Hwacha is a legal practitioner of Mzenda and Partners based in Masvingo and has assisted student leaders who were unlawfully arrested. He has worked with our sister organization SST and represented student activists when faced by a disciplinary hearing.

Joy Mabenge is currently with IDAZIM and has assisted the students' union with ideas and sometimes with material in times of financial hiccups of the organization. Considering his line of work, his capacity in assisting to take the UNION to greater heights can not be doubted.

The Board is expected to convene its first meeting by Wednesday next week to discuss issues such as:

• Creation of independent bank accounts
• Facilitation of the handing over of assets held by Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
• Appointing of a chartered accountant to look into the issues of finance during the handing over of our books by the organization that was managing our funds.

The General Council meeting is to be held from the 21st -23rd of May 2010 to chart the way forward for the Union. The students shall triumph over all detractors and shall go ahead with charting the way forward and direction.

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