Abigail Gamanya

Education

Gamanya obtained a National Diploma in Mass Communications at the Harare Polytechnic with the likes of former Information Communication Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira and the late ZUJ secretary general Foster Dongozi among others.

She was also a holder of a diploma in Public Relations from the Zimbabwe Institute of Public Relations.

Career

Gamanya worked as a Public Relations consultant for three years, before joining MISA-Zimbabwe.

She worked for MISA-Zimbabwe for three years and later joined the Federation of African Media Women in Zimbabwe (FAMWZ) as national director.

FAMWZ later changed to Gender Media Connect.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa Gamanya had 20 years of experience cutting across broadcasting, print, and digital media.^[2]

Mutsvangwa said "for many years", Gamanya "stood out as the voice of female journalists, fighting hard for gender equality and equity and recognition of women in media as competent enough to occupy top positions in media organisations."

During the last five years of her life, Gamanya was the Zimbabwe National Coordinator of the International Training Programme (ITP) on media development, sponsored by the Swedish International Development Agency.

Tributes

Sunday Mail Editor Victoria Ruzvidzo described Gamanya as a gentle giant in the journalism and gender discourse.

Women in News advisory manager for Africa Susan Makore said that to her, Gamanya was a colleague, a sister, a friend, a critic, a confidante, and a loving mother.

Zimbabwe Union of Journalists secretary-general Perfect Hlongwane said Gamanya "contributed immensely to the profession, particularly to the training and fighting for women journalists’ rights and freedom in the newsrooms."

Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe executive director, Loughty Dube described Gamanya as a strong gender freedom fighter adding "her promotion of gender equality was unparalleled."

Gender Media Connect finance and administration officer Maria Magwai described Abigail as a loving sister adding that she had lost a sister and not a boss.

Trivia

During the Gender Media Connect 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (2021) campaign, Gamanya was quoted in an article by John Mokwetsi as having said:

It is hard to be a female journalist in Zimbabwe and everywhere else in the world.

Further Reading