Gata appointed Zesa executive chairman
ENERGY and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi has appointed Dr Sydney Zikuzo Gata as the executive chairman of ZESA Holdings.
He will be deputised by Mrs Tsitsi Makovah.
Dr Gata brings with him vast knowledge as he played various advisory roles in the energy sector and participated in various international consultancies.
Minister Chasi announced the appointment in a statement yesterday.
“The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Hon Fortune Chasi (MP) with the concurrence of His Excellency the President, Hon E.D. Mnangagwa, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Sydney Zikuzo Gata as the executive chairman of ZESA Holdings (Pvt) Ltd,” he said.
“It is hoped that the two will steer the new board in tackling the myriad of challenges currently being experienced in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Zimbabwe. Other board members would be announced in due course,” he said
Minister Chasi said Dr Gata brings with him a wealth of experience and institutional memory as he has previously served at Zesa in various capacities.
“Dr Gata served as a member of the World Energy Council Commission Board, an executive director of Integrated Energy Systems Limited (UK) and is a managing partner at EMC Continental (Pvt) Ltd.
“In his previous stint at the utility he oversaw the reform and restructuring involving the unbundling of ZESA, the expanded rural electrification programme that involved the electrification of 5 400 rural public institutions in three years as well as the Kariba South refurbishment and upgrading which raised the capacity from 666MW to 750MW,” he said.
A chartered secretary and administrator, Mrs Makovah has vast experience in the energy sector and has also worked for freight and clearance companies as well as the Zimbabwe
Revenue Authority.
Mrs Makovah has held positions where she has been responsible for strategy formulation and oversight, overall implementation and driving company policy and strategy as well as controlling and sourcing financial resources.
She was also a member of the previous ZESA Holdings board in addition to chairing the Powertel. Communication (Pvt) Ltd board.
Minister Chasi earlier this year fired the entire ZESA board led by Collins Chihuri for failing to “appreciate the urgency of the situation we are in”.
The country is battling acute electricity shortages, and Minister Chasi accused the board of doing little to address the power challenges.
“I want people who appreciate the urgency of the situation we are in. I did not see that in them.
“The challenges at ZESA are deepseated and they need people who are hands-on, who will not wait for a quarterly meeting or monthly meeting or things like that. So I will be looking around for men and women of integrity who have experience; proven, not academic persons,” the minister said then.
New boards for Petrotrade and Finealt will be announced shortly, said Minister Chasi.