Harare West MP Joanna Mamombe has been named among the five winners of the third annual One Young World Politician of the Year Award alongside Erik Marquardt (33), Germany, Michael Tubbs (30), United States, Sarah Elago (30), The Philippines, and Zarifa Ghafari (28), Afghanistan.
The One Young World Politician of the Year Award recognises five of the world’s most outstanding politicians between the ages of 18 – 35, who are using their positions to have a positive impact on young people in their communities and countries. One Young World wrote on their website:
Joanah Mamombe is Zimbabwe’s youngest female Member of Parliament. A molecular biologist by profession and a youth leader in Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the main opposition party in Zimbabwe. Mamombe is also a respected human rights activist.
Through her active role in Parliament, championing changes in law and speaking truth to power, she continues to highlight the plight of the young person.
Mamombe has been the subject of numerous state police investigations which are described by Amnesty International as “persecution through prosecution”.
Most recently, Mamombe was detained and charged with allegedly falsifying reports of being abducted and tortured in reprisal for demonstrations she led in May 2020. Mamombe denies these charges and is determined to continue her advocacy for reform.
Mamombe was listed under the 2019 “100 most influential young Africans” by Africa Youth Awards, an organisation based in Abuja, Nigeria.
In 2014, in recognition of her courageous work, she was chosen to attend a global conference in Denmark marking 100 years of women in politics and leadership.
In 2017, Mamombe was a keynote speaker at the Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe focusing on young people as change-makers.