Prominent Zimbabwean miner and women-in-mining advocate Blessing Hungwe has been appointed to the Mining Affairs Board (MAB), joining a 12-member board established under Section 7 of the Mines and Minerals Act [Chapter 21:05].
By Keith Sungiso
Hungwe is listed among the members of the fully constituted board in a notice detailing its composition. Dr T. U Wushe has been named Chairperson, while Eng C. S. Tahwa and Eng M. J. Munodawafa are also members. Ms E. M. Muguti will serve as Secretary to the Board.
Hungwe’s appointment brings the experience of a small-scale mining operator and long-standing advocate for women in the sector into the statutory board.
She has built a profile in Zimbabwe’s mining industry through her involvement in artisanal and small-scale mining, women’s empowerment and mining policy advocacy. Mining Zimbabwe previously reported that Hungwe rose from artisanal mining into mechanised gold mining and has held leadership roles in women-in-mining organisations.
Her work has also extended beyond Zimbabwe. She has served in regional women-in-mining leadership and is the patron of the Zimbabwe Association of Women in Mining Associations (ZAWIMA). She has advocated for greater access to finance, technical skills, mining claims and policy support for women and small-scale miners.
Hungwe has increasingly become a prominent voice on issues affecting artisanal and small-scale mining, including formalisation, responsible mining and the participation of women in the sector. In 2025, she was also recognised as Global Influencer of the Year at the Women in Mining Awards.
Her appointment to the Mining Affairs Board comes as Zimbabwe continues to place greater emphasis on the contribution of small-scale and artisanal miners to mineral production and the wider economy.
For Hungwe, the appointment represents a move from grassroots mining and sector advocacy into a formal statutory structure involved in Zimbabwe’s mining affairs.
It also places a prominent small-scale mining voice within a board whose membership includes professionals and industry figures from different areas of the mining sector.
Mining Zimbabwe could not get a comment from Hungwe as her number went unanswered.
The Mining Affairs Board
The Mining Affairs Board is established under the Mines and Minerals Act, providing a statutory platform within Zimbabwe’s mining administration. The notice announcing the board lists 11 members, with Muguti serving as secretary.
The full board comprises:
- Dr T. U Wushe — Chairperson
- Eng C. S. Tahwa
- Eng M. J. Munodawafa
- Mr Nhukarume
- Mr F Mugumbate
- Mr Allen Mashingaidze
- Mr Harry Greaves
- Mr Sylvester Dhlamini
- Mrs Manyara Chigunduru
- Ms Blessing Hungwe
- Mrs Nanganidzai Makoho
Ms E. M. Muguti is listed as Secretary to the Board.
