Nchimunya Hamukoma

Ms Hamukoma holds an MPhil in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Cape Town. Her research work to date has focused on the structure of energy supply industries in emerging economies and the current transition towards renewable energy in India and South Africa.

Though born in Zambia, Nchimunya spent the majority of her formative years in Krugersdorp before attending Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape. During her time at Rhodes she held the position of International Councilor in the 2009/10 SRC. Through this position, she helped bring together the former President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, the former President of Mozambique, Joachim Chissano and former South African minister Trevor Manuel in a panel discussion as part of Africa Day celebrations. She received awards for her time in office as a member of the Investec Rhodes Top 100 Students and a recipient of the Dean of Students Award for Leadership.

Nchimunya is passionate about economic policy issues and was a Top 20 Undergraduate Finalist in the Nedbank & Old Mutual Budget Speech Competition in 2010 and the First Runner-up in the Postgraduate leg of the same competition in 2011. Her passion for economic advocacy led her to found an "Economic Response Team", that brought together concerned students and academics to provide greater information on the economic realities of the 2015 Student Fee Protests.

Nchimunya has worked as an Assistant Lecturer at the Graduate School of Development Policy and Practice at UCT. Whilst there, she played a significant role in developing the academic and support structures around the MPhil in Development Policy & Practice, a pan African Masters programme aimed at providing strategic academic development for mid-career public sector officials from across Africa.