ZESA appoints Nyachowe as interim CEO, Nduna as acting chairman after Gata’s death
STAFF WRITER
State-owned power utility ZESA Holdings has announced key interim leadership appointments following the sudden passing of Executive Chairman Sydney Gata.
According to an internal circular, Vice Chairman Albert Joel Nduna will serve as acting board chairman, while seasoned engineer Cletus Nyachowe has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer, effective July 17.
The company, now under the Mutapa Investment Fund, is undergoing a restructuring process that will see the abolition of the executive chairman role.
ZESA will return to a traditional governance model featuring a separate board chair and CEO.
Engineer Nyachowe, an electrical engineer with an MBA from the University of Zimbabwe, joined ZESA in 1988. His extensive experience includes leadership roles at Powertel Communications, senior positions in grid asset management, and international energy consultancy work across the SADC region. He also serves as a non-executive director on the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe board.
Nduna, a veteran business executive with more than 35 years of senior management experience, chairs the Insurance and Pensions Commission and sits on several other boards as a non-executive director.
In a message to staff, Human Capital Executive Director Fortune Sambo expressed confidence in the new leadership. “Nduna and Engineer Nyachowe bring decades of corporate and sectoral expertise. Their leadership will be critical in driving forward the government’s vision for universal access to power and data by 2030,” Sambo said.
Gata’s tenure was marked by efforts to expand generation capacity, though widespread outages persist. The interim leadership will focus on maintaining momentum in major projects, including upgrades to the national transmission network and advancing public–private partnerships.
A search for permanent appointments is currently underway, with further announcements expected in the coming months.
