Barbra Rwodzi has won a major African award, with voters picking Zimbabwe's tourism minister for the 2026 Unstoppable African Cabinet Minister of the Year honor. The result was made public at an event in Nairobi, Kenya, after people across Africa and beyond took part in the vote.
Rwodzi didn't collect the prize in person. Instead, Zimbabwe's envoy to Kenya, Winpeg Moyo, stepped up to receive it for her.
The other contenders came from Kenya and Uganda. Geoffrey Ruku, who handles public service in Kenya, placed second overall. Fellow Kenyan minister Beatrice Askul, who oversees East African affairs, took the next spot.
Uganda's Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, the minister in charge of local government, also made the top group. His placement completed the list of leading contenders.
During the event, Moyo spoke about why tourism matters to Zimbabwe's plans. She described the sector as a source of jobs, investment, and wider growth, rather than just a way to draw visitors.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa also came up in her remarks. The ambassador credited him with making tourism part of his wider economic plans, tied to Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy.
And First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa got a mention as well. As patron of the sector, she has backed efforts to promote Zimbabwe's culture, wildlife, food, and heritage to visitors.
There's a wider push behind all this. Zimbabwe's Heritage-Based Tourism Agenda aims to get more value from the country's natural sites and cultural assets. The plan also seeks fresh business funding and more work for people in the industry.
For Rwodzi, the award brings wider attention to her work in government. Whether that praise leads to real gains for the sector will depend on how Zimbabwe's tourism plans play out.
Rwodzi didn't collect the prize in person. Instead, Zimbabwe's envoy to Kenya, Winpeg Moyo, stepped up to receive it for her.
The other contenders came from Kenya and Uganda. Geoffrey Ruku, who handles public service in Kenya, placed second overall. Fellow Kenyan minister Beatrice Askul, who oversees East African affairs, took the next spot.
Uganda's Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, the minister in charge of local government, also made the top group. His placement completed the list of leading contenders.
During the event, Moyo spoke about why tourism matters to Zimbabwe's plans. She described the sector as a source of jobs, investment, and wider growth, rather than just a way to draw visitors.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa also came up in her remarks. The ambassador credited him with making tourism part of his wider economic plans, tied to Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy.
And First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa got a mention as well. As patron of the sector, she has backed efforts to promote Zimbabwe's culture, wildlife, food, and heritage to visitors.
There's a wider push behind all this. Zimbabwe's Heritage-Based Tourism Agenda aims to get more value from the country's natural sites and cultural assets. The plan also seeks fresh business funding and more work for people in the industry.
For Rwodzi, the award brings wider attention to her work in government. Whether that praise leads to real gains for the sector will depend on how Zimbabwe's tourism plans play out.
