Mnangagwa Appoints New Health Service Commissioners
President Mnangagwa has appointed Dr. Lioba Tendai Gunduza and Ernest Takafa Manyawu as Commissioners to Zimbabwe’s Health Service Commission, bringing expertise in nursing, ethics, governance and global health diplomacy to strengthen healthcare leadership and service delivery.
Dumisani Ndlovu 
Harare - President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Colonel (Rtd) Dr. Lioba Tendai Gunduza and Mr. Ernest Takafa Manyawu as Commissioners to the Health Service Commission, reinforcing Zimbabwe’s healthcare leadership with seasoned professionals from academia, healthcare administration and governance.
Dr. Gunduza, a lecturer at the Zimbabwe National Defence University, brings extensive experience in healthcare, military service and academia.
She holds a Doctorate in Ethics, including Gender Issues, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, a Master’s Degree in International Relations and a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Political Science from the University of Zimbabwe.
A qualified general nurse, midwife and community nurse, Dr. Gunduza previously served as Director of Nursing Services in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, where she earned recognition for her leadership and professionalism.
Her appointment is expected to strengthen healthcare governance through her expertise in nursing, ethics, policy and institutional leadership.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Manyawu joins the Commission with decades of experience in health sector management and governance at both national and international levels.
His expertise spans leadership and management development, corporate governance, health financing, organisational turnaround strategies, health policy planning and global health diplomacy.
Manyawu began his career as a District Health Services Administrator for Kezi-Matobo and later Chikomba districts before joining the Ministry of Health and Child Care headquarters in the strategy development unit as Programme Administrator for the MOHCC/DANIDA Health Sector Programme Support.
He later served at the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC), where he was part of the secretariat to the Cabinet Taskforce that established the Food and Nutrition Council of Zimbabwe.
Upon returning to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Manyawu was appointed Director of Operations at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals before moving to the regional stage in 2011 as Director of Operations and Institutional Development and Deputy Head of Mission at the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) in Tanzania.
In 2014, he became Acting Director General and Head of Mission for the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) following the retirement of the substantive Director General, serving until a replacement was appointed.
After concluding his tenure with ECSA-HC in 2017, Manyawu returned to Zimbabwe where he served as Chief Executive Officer of Ingutsheni Central Hospital before later becoming Group Chief Executive Officer of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
His academic qualifications include a Master of Science Degree in Public Health, a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Services Management, a Postgraduate Certificate in Project Management and an Honours Degree in Politics and Administration.
In a statement, the Health Service Commission congratulated the newly appointed Commissioners and expressed confidence in their capacity to strengthen healthcare leadership, governance and service delivery in Zimbabwe.
