STAFF WRITER
HARARE-The launch of the Society of Directors Africa (SoDA) at Hyatt Regency Harare – The Meikles Hotel last Friday (July 31) marked a defining moment in Africa’s corporate governance journey, placing sustainability and integrity at the forefront.
The event brought together leaders from government, business, academia and civil society, united by a shared vision to strengthen governance and ethical leadership across the continent.
Guest of honour Allen Choruma, Permanent Secretary and Head of the Corporate Governance Unit (CGU) in the Office of the President and Cabinet of Zimbabwe, delivered a powerful keynote address that underscored the urgency of embedding sustainability into governance practices.
“Good governance becomes pivotal and critical. Good governance becomes imperative for both the public and the private sectors. The challenge for us as corporate directors of private entities or as board members of public entities is to ensure that we create good governance,” Choruma said.
He stressed that governance today must extend beyond boardrooms and financial reporting to embrace environmental and social responsibilities.
“Corporate governance is now cascaded into communities, into environmental conservation issues after it has been realised that corporate entities, both public and private, do not operate in a vacuum.
“As such, it is our responsibility as corporate leaders across all sectors to ensure that we are mindful of our societal obligations as well as our environmental obligations so that we live in a sustainable environment,” he added.
Choruma’s remarks resonated strongly with the audience, aligning with global trends that place ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles at the heart of corporate accountability.
He emphasised that sustainable governance is not only vital for companies but also for families, communities, and nations striving toward development goals such as Zimbabwe’s National Vision 2030.
The launch also featured inspiring reflections from SoDA’s leadership. Dr Lovemore Gomera, Founder and President of SoDA, explained the motivation behind establishing the society.
He highlighted the need to bridge the gap between retired directors and emerging leaders, ensuring that institutional memory, wisdom and integrity are not lost but passed on to future generations.
“In many cases when directors retire, the last we hear about them is at the farewell day when they say goodbye to us. They retire to their farms, their mines and the sad thing is they also retire with their intellect, their experience, their expertise and everything else that could actually help us today.
“The Society of Directors Africa is going to complement other organisations that have been dealing with governance, that have been dealing with leadership. But the difference is that we are going practical.
“We are going to be doing things in action that you will see for yourself that will impact on communities,” Dr Gomera added.
SoDA’s Chairperson, Prophetess Patricia Imbeah‑Kissi, emphasised the society’s long‑term vision and commitment to ethical leadership:
“Institutions do not become great because they are launched very well. They become great because they remain faithful to their purpose.
“May the Society of Directors Africa remain faithful to its purpose. May it become a trusted voice for ethical leadership. May it strengthen institutions across our continent. May it inspire generations of leaders to govern with wisdom, humility and integrity,” she added.
Her words captured the spirit of the evening, a recognition that SoDA is more than an organisation. It is a movement to transform governance culture across Africa.
The launch concluded with a call to action for directors, executives and policymakers to embrace sustainable corporate governance as a cornerstone of Africa’s development.
SoDA aims to ensure that future generations inherit institutions and societies that are resilient, ethical and prosperous by fostering integrity, accountability and environmental stewardship.
