Local energy expert and reform advocate Edzai Kachirekwa is set to receive an international Man of the Year Award in the Energy and Power Development category at the House of Commons in London, in recognition of his long-standing advocacy for deregulation, decentralisation, decarbonisation and digitalisation of the energy sector.
The award will be conferred under the World School Summit × Cluster of Achievers platform, which recognises global leaders whose ideas and actions are accelerating the transition to clean, sustainable and inclusive energy systems.
Kachirekwa said the recognition affirms years of work that began in 2016, when he started publicly calling for Zimbabwe to open up and reform its energy space.
“Since 2016 I have been advocating for Zimbabwe to deregulate its energy sector,” he said.
“Zimbabwe does not just need to be energy sufficient — it needs energy sovereignty.”
For nearly a decade, Kachirekwa has used public platforms, policy briefs and daily knowledge-sharing to argue that liberalised energy markets, decentralised generation and renewable technologies are essential for economic growth and resilience.
He said the shift towards liberalisation in recent years shows that sustained advocacy matters.
“It takes a brave leader to listen to unsung heroes,” he said, crediting President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Energy and Power Development minister July Moyo for advancing reforms that opened the sector to independent power producers and renewable energy investments.
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According to organisers, the award recognises Kachirekwa’s consistent, voluntary dissemination of energy knowledge, policy engagement and advocacy for faster adoption of clean and sustainable energy sources across Zimbabwe and Africa.
“The world has been watching and observing all my daily efforts to give free knowledge to my country and Africa at large,” he said. “That is why this global recognition has come.”
He also paid tribute to the local media, noting that international partnerships are increasingly engaging Zimbabwean voices in global energy conversations.
Beyond the London award ceremony, Kachirekwa has also been confirmed as a speaker at the Africa Energy Indaba, Africa’s largest energy conference, to be held in Cape Town from March 3 to 5.
The Indaba brings together policymakers, utilities, investors and innovators to shape Africa’s energy future — a platform Kachirekwa says aligns with his vision of African-led energy sovereignty.
Calling the recognition “deeply humbling,” Kachirekwa said the award is not just personal, but symbolic of Zimbabwe’s growing relevance in global energy discourse.
“This is huge, considering the amount of work we have put towards the growth of Zimbabwe,” he said. “I feel respected and honoured for my contributions to the energy sector.”
As Zimbabwe continues to navigate power shortages, climate pressures and industrial demand, Kachirekwa’s recognition places local energy reform ideas on a global stage, reinforcing the argument that home-grown expertise can shape international solutions.
