WINDHOEK – Namdeb’s Chief Executive Officer, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi, received the news of her being the winner of Africa Most Influential Women in Business on Heroes Day, August 26, while attending the national commemoration activities at Heroes Acre in Windhoek. The previous day before she had been conferred with the national honour of ‘Most Distinguished Order of Namibia: Third Class’, alongside other business personalities, by President Hifikepunye Pohamba at State House.
Zaamwani-Kamwi, in an interview with New Era, says she was “surprised and humbled” adding: “I am grateful for both awards and thank those who have nominated me and those who accepted my nominations.”
She received the ‘Country Winner for Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government in the Mining sector from the CEO Communications, a South African based company. Africa’s Most Influential Women is a continental body dedicated to women empowerment and advancement in leadership positions across the continent. Zaamwani-Kamwi was among numerous nominees and she made it to the top ten finalists. “The awards programme is not only celebrating women’s magnificent contribution towards African development, but it is reigniting the flame for Africa to shine as a nation when it comes to female business strength and empowerment,” said Annelize Wepenar, Chief Executive of CEO Holdings.
“Most of us do the very best we can with the assignments we are given as part of our contribution towards the socio-economic development of our country. I therefore, take my job and other responsibilities very seriously knowing that I am part of team Namibia. I believe that whatever we do and how we do it, determine whether Namibia moves forward in shaping its own destiny and to play an active role in regional and global affairs as an equal partner of good standing,” Zaamwani-Kamwi says.
Pohamba conferred national honours on a number of individuals across the spectrum of Namibian society for their outstanding contribution in the fields of politics, military, education, health, media, reconstruction, and business development. The conferment was in recognition of the roles they played in different spheres of society both pre and post-independence. Zaamwani-Kamwi was amongst 395 individuals who received this honour.
She accepted the recognition with humility and indicated that she views it as an honour to all Namdeb employees. Given Namdeb’s critical role in generating much needed employment opportunities, revenue for economic development and returns to shareholders, Zaamwani-Kamwi said leading Namdeb towards its vision 2050 is the greatest honour that she and her management team take very seriously.
“I have been an active player within the mining industry dating back to my days as Director of Mines in the Ministry of Mines and Energy. I was responsible for rolling out the implementation of the Namdeb accord prior to joining Namdeb as CEO. Prior to joining the Ministry of Mines and Energy, I worked with the Commonwealth Legal and Economic Advisory Services in London. Experts from the Commonwealth assisted Namibia to draft its Minerals and Petroleum Policy and Legislative frameworks as well as negotiating its partnership accord with De Beers. I therefore got involved with Namdeb much earlier. When I joined Namdeb, I was tasked with the responsibility of crafting the new strategic direction of the joint venture and ensuring that the provisions of the Shareholders and Minerals agreements calling for specific localisation milestones were achieved”, she reminisces.
Zaamwani-Kamwi has participated in many regional and international industry forums where the transformation of the industry was shaped. She was the representative of the diamond mining industry at the inaugural meeting where the Kimberly process was borne and she was also a founding member of the World Diamond Council and in that capacity played an active role in helping the industry to embrace the transformational agenda that was sweeping producer countries in the early 2000s.
“These are but some of the humble contributions to the industry. I remain indebted to Namdeb board of directors and my management colleagues who have allowed me to play a role in all these various endeavours. Their support has been immense and therefore whatever recognition or award bestowed upon me, I cannot forget the people who have made it possible.
“My gratitude goes to [the Founding President] Dr Sam Nujoma, who saw the potential in me and gave me the assignment to lead Namdeb. Without good leaders like him, most of us will never have had the chance to be where we are today”, she says gratefully.