Olivia Muchena

Who is Olivia Muchena?

Olivia Nyembezi Muchena is a Zimbabwean politician, currently serving in the Cabinet of Zimbabwe as Minister of Women's Affairs. She was previously the Minister of Science and Technology Development.

She studied for a PhD in Agriculture Extension Education with minors in Technology and Social Change at Iowa State University. During the late 1970s she was a faculty member at the University of Rhodesia. A strong supporter of President Robert Mugabe, she has served in various positions in the Zimbabwe government, including in the Ministry of Agriculture and the Office of the Vice President, where she was involved in Zimbabwe's land reform process.

When the ZANU-PF–MDC national unity government was sworn in on February 13, 2009, Muchena became Minister of Women's Affairs.