Zuhura Mwale: A leader with a strong vision and purpose

In The Citizen's mission to celebrate female trailblazers through the Rising Woman Initiative, we bring you the story of Zuhura Kamwavi Mwale, the head of Underwriting at Jubilee Health Insurance Company of Tanzania Ltd.

If you ask her what makes a good leader, she would undoubtedly advocate for emotional intelligence as a cornerstone attribute.

Additionally, she would emphasize the importance of possessing a robust vision, a sense of purpose, and resilience.

“As a woman leader, you must lead by showing respect to both your peers and the team you created, regardless of their age and status in life. This has helped me to successfully lead my team and communicate clearly both upwards and to the junior co-workers,” she comments.

Her ascension to the current role, which she assumed in May 2023, stands as a testament to her unwavering dedication and exceptional leadership prowess.

She has continuously demonstrated her prowess in the corporate landscape, climbing the ladder from being an Actuarial & Underwriting Manager from 2016 to 2019 to a senior position as Senior Manager, Actuarial and Underwriting between 2019 and May 2023.

“I remember when I started to climb the leadership ladder. I was very young and ambitious. Being young and ambitious sometimes makes leading others challenging. The most significant challenges were to set clear goals and ensure my team could translate the same into bigger results,” she says.

She says she is the person who believes in teamwork.

“It is sometimes not very easy to meet the expectations of all the team members, especially when you are a young and female leader, because some will look at you according to your age, and some will vividly underlook you because you’re a woman,” says Zuhura.

She attributes her success to a combination of factors, including engaging in mentorship programmes, leading by example, and maintaining unwavering standards.

Since her days in junior education, Zuhura’s journey has been marked by a series of notable achievements, showcasing her dedication and excellence in academics.

From being recognised as the best student in chemistry at both the regional and national levels in 2006 and 2007 to consistently achieving high academic marks, Zuhura has demonstrated her commitment to academic excellence.

Her accolades also include awards for academic merit, including being listed on the 2008 Dean's Merit List for her outstanding performance.

These achievements not only highlight Zuhura's exceptional abilities but also serve as a testament to her hard work and determination to succeed in her academic endeavors.

Offering advice to aspiring female leaders in male-dominated industries, Zuhura underscores the importance of industry knowledge, networking, and continuous self-improvement.

“Take advantage of free online resources and more training to update yourself because most young women take their knowledge for granted and go years without updating themselves. This creates a very big competition when it comes to equal opportunities between women and men,” she notes.

Zuhura imparts sage advice to aspiring young leaders, encouraging them to embrace challenges with an open mind and to refrain from taking setbacks personally.

Furthermore, she advocates for the invaluable practice of seeking mentorship, firmly believing that the amalgamation of facing diverse challenges and receiving guidance from a mentor cultivates a multifaceted leader capable of navigating the complexities of the modern world with grace and proficiency.

In her leadership roles, Zuhura has championed diversity and inclusion, recognising the value of varied perspectives and experiences.

She said that as a leader, she champions diversity and inclusion by understanding the potential of every individual in the team and making sure everyone is involved in the development of their competencies while building their capacity to participate even in more challenging assignments.

“Removing them slowly from their comfort zone by giving them new challenges. Repeat the process as often and freely as possible, without judgment. Create a culture of open discussions, joint monitoring, evaluation, and learning,” she asserts.

 The 4Ps model

There is a famous slang used nowadays: 'standing on business.’ It refers to being affirmative and/or confident on certain principles or issues.

Zuhura, embodiesby both the essence of womanhood and the mantle of leadership, firmly anchoring herself upon the sturdy foundation of the 4Ps: Purpose, Passion, Presence, and Power.

These pillars serve as her guiding beacons, ensuring that her voice resounds with clarity and impact, echoing her convictions and visions across the realms she influences.

Zuhura, as a woman and a leader, stands on the 4Ps of Purpose, Passion, Presence, and Power to make sure her voice is heard.

She explains that ‘Purpose’ is for having purpose on the table, ‘Passion’ is for having passion in your purpose, ‘Presence’ is for being present in decision-making, and lastly, ‘Power’ is for having influential power to get buy-in.

In order to address gender bias in the workplace, Zuhura emphasises the need for a safe and equitable environment.

This includes creating hearing committees that include both men and women to decide any gender-related matters at the workplace.

“When you see another woman being treated unfairly or not given the same opportunities as her male counterparts, stand up for her, and vice versa,” she notes.

She asserts that supporting every staff member and advocating for fairness are fundamental principles.

"As a woman leader, I strive to amplify the voices of marginalised individuals and promote equality," she shares.

Zuhura embodies the qualities of a strong woman leader, including emotional intelligence, resilience, and a compelling vision.

“My vision has always been to have an impactful team where I mentor and create more women leaders by helping them to ensure there is a purpose that contributes to organisational goals in every task they conduct,” she said.

Through her exemplary leadership, Zuhura continues to inspire positive change and drive organisational success.

This, according to her, has been cultivated by ensuring roles and limits are known to everyone, meeting targets, making informed decisions, helping other women, celebrating our achievements, and creating room for improvement.

Zuhura Mwale's journey exemplifies the transformative impact of empowered leadership.

Her unwavering commitment to excellence and inclusivity serves as a beacon of inspiration for women leaders everywhere.