A Zimbabwean-born woman, Mara Makunura, has been elected to lead the Rushmoor Borough Council in the United Kingdom, making history as the first female and first Black African Mayor of Rushmoor.
Councillor Makunura, who was born and raised in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, will serve as the Mayor of Rushmoor from this year up to next year.
She had been serving as the Deputy Mayor of Rushmoor and has now been elected to the full mayoral position.
In accepting the office at the annual meeting of the council, Councillor Makunura said:
With our local census statistics evidencing that 52 percent of our Rushmoor population is female, it is crucial that our leadership reflects the diverse demographics of our community, inspiring our youth, especially young girls, to strive for greatness without limitations.
Together, we will shatter the glass ceiling and pave the way for a more inclusive and representative leadership that truly represents the beautiful tapestry of our community.
According to The Herald, Makunura attended Chikonohono Primary School and later Nemakonde Secondary School in her hometown of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe.
In 1996, she got married, and the following year, in 1997, she relocated to the United Kingdom to join her husband.
Makunura’s political career in the UK began in 2018 when she became the first person of African descent to be elected as a councillor in Rushmoor, Hampshire.
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