Rhodes Alumnus, Dr Tendai Murisa has been appointed the Executive Director of TrustAfrica, starting from October 2014.
“We are very delighted to have found a leader who brings considerable intellectual acumen, energy and deep commitment to the vision, mission, values and principles that undergird the work of TrustAfrica,” said Chair, TrustAfrica Board of Trustees, Aïcha Bah Diallo.
“The selection of Dr Murisa comes after a very broad international search, handled by the firm Perrett Laver and overseen by the Leadership Transition Committee of the TrustAfrica Board. He was selected from a pool of over 300 applicants from within and outside Africa. The search process also involved input from many of TrustAfrica’s partner organizations, and we are grateful to them for that.”
Ms Bah Diallo said the Board of TrustAfrica has been impressed by Dr Murisa’s inspirational vision and fresh ideas for innovatively growing TrustAfrica.
“He represents a dynamic next generation leader for African philanthropy and TrustAfrica. As one of our Trustees, Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, vividly and pointedly put it, “this appointment strikes right at the core of the great objective to energize the future with well-equipped young leaders whose passion for Africa and its future stability and shared prosperity is vision-driven and anchored in unquestionable value,” she added.
Dr Murisa is currently the Director of Programs at TrustAfrica and also coordinates TrustAfrica’s work on illicit financial flows from Africa and agriculture advocacy.
He holds a BSc in Political Science and Administration from the University of Zimbabwe, an MA in Development Studies from the University of Leeds in the UK, and a PhD in Development Studies from Rhodes University.
He began his career in 1998 with the University of Zimbabwe as a researcher at the Poverty Reduction Forum before moving to Africa 2000 as a Projects Manager, and subsequently to the African Institute for Agrarian Studies as Regional Program Manager in 2005.
He has published widely in international journals on African development issues, and steered many partnership efforts for inclusive development in Africa.
The Board of Trustees would to thank Dr Akwasi Aidoo for his inspiring leadership in building TrustAfrica as a solid and sustainable foundation.