Ms Christine Msemburi, who has been at the helm of ZIMRA’s Human Resources department since the inception of the Authority in 2001, was appointed the Executive Director at WCO East and Southern Africa Regional Office for Capacity Building.

As the Director for Human Resources and Administration within the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Ms Msemburi was responsible for leading the HR and Administration functions at corporate level and driving the HR strategy.

She has been credited for spearheading the introduction of the Balanced Score Card performance management system within ZIMRA. The system has in turn improved organisational and individual performances, resulting in ZIMRA creating and sustaining a culture of surpassing revenue targets.

In the area of human resource development, Ms Msemburi was responsible not only for facilitating the accreditation of ZIMRA’s Training Centre as a WCO Regional Training Centre, but also pushed for rigorous staff development programmes. This has resulted in the introduction of e-learning facilities, undergraduate and postgraduate studies in fiscal management, supervisory and management development programmes, among others.

Ms Msemburi has also been active in charity work as the Chairperson of ZIMRA’s Social Responsibility Committee which is responsible for raising and distributing funds to the less privileged members of society. Her division also adopted Ivordale Child Shelter, which it has been assisting financially, morally and spiritually over the years.

According to the World Customs Organisation’s website, the regional approach to capacity building ensures efficient and effective allocation of WCO’s limited resources while achieving the overall goal of capacity building.

“…it is anticipated that ‘regionalised’ capacity building will contribute to the facilitation of regional co-operation and ensure enhanced coherence and synergy of capacity building activities pursued by different donors in each region, which would bring about a significant increase in the quantum of funding and technical support currently available,” writes the WCO Secretariat.

ZIMRA wishes the Executive Director for ROCB success as she fulfils the Centre’s Vision, which is to “be globally recognised for providing capacity building leadership as well as developing and managing innovations in the WCO East and Southern Africa Region."