MINISTER of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Savannah Maziya has revealed the identity of the man recommended to lead the troubled Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP).
Tabling her responses in the House yesterday, the minister revealed that the RSTP Board recommended Jeremiah Munembe for the position of Chief Executive Officer.
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They wanted Munembe to be awarded with a fixed term of three years effective July 1, 2025. According to a search online, Jeremiah Munembe is a Zimbabwean national who is currently Managing Director at AB Communications as well as a founder of Khusela Business Intelligence Technologies.
Munembe has held various executive positions, primarily in the telecommunications and banking sectors in Zimbabwe.
Munembe holds an MBA from the University of Zimbabwe (obtained in 2001-4) and a BSc Electrical Engineering Honours in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (94-7) also from the University of Zimbabwe.
According to an online profile, his expertise spans executive management, cellular communications, project management, business process improvement, strategic planning, and team leadership. He has been involved in initiatives such as the development of the National ICT Assembly plant (ZITCO).
To substantiate her responses and the position on this issue, the minister attached the then Acting Board Chairperson Khetsiwe Dlamini’s letter to her informing her of the Board’s resolution.
According to the letter, this decision was taken during the board’s meeting held on April 12, 2025.
The contract of the RSTP CEO expired at the end of July 2024 and the minister told Parliament that she endorsed the RSTP Board of Directors’ recommendation to initiate the recruitment of a qualified CEO to lead the institution.
“This approval was issued in August 2024. Since August 2024 to date, and as a result of the absence of a permanent CEO, the organisation had to rely on persons acting in the position of CEO,” she said.
She added that the absence of a substantive CEO for over a year has adversely affected RSTP’s performance. She said in September 2024, following internal procurement processes, the Board appointed an independent agent for the recruitment of the substantive CEO position.
“In October 2024 and March 2025, due to the specialised nature of the RSTP CEO’s role, the Board opted for a headhunting approach.
A total. Of 14 CVs were received by the consultant appointed to conduct the exercise.
“Based on academic qualifications and relevant experience, eight candidates were shortlisted, seven were interviewed, and one was unavailable. Two separate interviews were conducted, and candidates were ranked according to their scores,” she said.
She added that in April 2025, upon completion of interviews, the recruitment agent submitted a comprehensive recruitment report to the Board.
“A recommendation letter dated April 23, 2025, forwarding the top three candidates to the ministry for consideration and approval was issued. The ministry, upon receiving the Board’s recommendation, submitted the request for Cabinet approval. However, the response was negative,” she said.
She added that one of the main concerns raised by Cabinet was that such positions should be reserved for Eswatini citizens, and the two main candidates identified during the recruitment process were not local.
“Around July, the ministry, in consultation with the Board, then proposed a secondment to the CEO position as an alternative and more time-efficient intervention than the recruitment process,” she said.
She added that despite identifying a suitable candidate, the minister’s attempts to present the proposal to Cabinet were unsuccessful on several occasions.
She added that the minister continued to support the secondment, and the board remained committed to the secondment strategy, as outlined in the July 2025 recommendations.
She added that RSTP has the potential to become a leading technology hub in the Southern Hemisphere. She said in order to achieve this, it must be empowered to recruit top-tier talent, including global experts, and undergo strategic reconfiguration.
“This is supported by the provisions of the RSTP Act of 2023. A complete overhaul of outdated equipment is also necessary to meet operational demands. It is imperative that the Board and the Minister be empowered to finalize the appointment of a substantive CEO at RSTP to lead the organisation to success,” she said.
She added that a permanent CEO has only one role to fulfill. She said this was the role of the office he or she was asked to head up. She added that it also strengthens the commitment towards the organisation and dedicated service delivery. Maziya said this was something that RSTP desperately needs.
“Without decisive action, RSTP faces the very real risk of institutional failure, which includes, but is not limited to, continued technological stagnation, persistent network challenges across government ministries, inadequate leadership, personnel management challenges, and infrastructure concerns,” she said.
Minister Maziya added that prioritized activities to elevate RSTP to global standards and fulfill His Majesty’s vision, the following actions were urgently required. She said they need to prioritize the recruitment of a CEO, COO, and Chief Technical Officer. He added that they also need to establish strong Legal, Human Resources, and Business Development leadership, including short-term foreign experts to mentor and upskill local staff.
“We also need to undertake comprehensive restructuring to address current human resource deficiencies. We also need to acquire modern equipment to support current and future network demands, including a secure backup system for government operations,” she said.
She added that they also needed to secure a dedicated power supply for Data Centres and other operations to ensure stability and attract investment. She said the ministry also needs to put in place a turnaround strategy for the park.
Maziya added that there were many benefits to be gained with the professional autonomy that only comes with the appointment of a permanent CEO, which includes RSTP becoming a preferred employer for youth and professionals. She said they could also serve as a technology advisor to all government ministries and departments. She added that the RSTP could also enhance public service delivery through the ‘Government in Your Hand’ initiative.
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