Mutemererwa wins top award
PUBLIC relations executive Ms Marjorie Mutemererwa has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Women in Public Relations and Communications Zimbabwe (WPRCZ) for her long and excellent service in the profession.
WPRC is a professional networking organisation committed to educating, mentoring and empowering female public relations professionals.
She received the award at the recently held Women in Public Relations and Communications Excellency Awards.
Ms Mutemererwa has been in the public relations and communications profession for over 25 years.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail, she said: “I feel honoured and humbled to have received the award. The recognition is humbling. I believe in consistently being consistent; being courageous and bold; being constant; trying to be credible; being true to myself; and focusing and depending on God.”
She said throughout her career, she has focused on making a difference in communities at individual and corporate levels.
In addition, she has also trained and inspired many young and upcoming public relations professionals.
“The biggest and most important issue in public relations and communications is speaking the truth and being honest,” she continued.
“Those two pillars help in creating a consistent, effective and reliable relationship with stakeholders.
“Lies have short legs. Truth and honesty are long term. Truth and honesty bring powerful and sustainable solutions.
“Lies bring webs that are difficult to untangle.”
In public relations, she added, longterm strategies bring quick wins.
She said credibility was easier to build when one is honest.
Public relations professionals, said Ms Mutemererwa, must use different strategies to manage different stakeholders. “That way, I have more flexibility to win and less losses,” she added.
“There is so much drama and challenges in public relations and communications, media management and stakeholder management, but, as the years and experiences increase, I have managed to enjoy managing the challenges.
“Always be honest; it’s cheaper and less expensive that way.”