HAZ BIDS FAREWELL TO ADMINISTRATOR VIOLET RUKANDE AFTER 34 YEARS OF SERVICE

The Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) has bid farewell to its outgoing Administrator, Mrs. Violet Rukande, marking the end of a 34-year career with the Association.

The farewell was extended on behalf of the HAZ Presidium, the Executive and the Secretariat, who paid tribute to Mrs. Rukande as “a true pillar of HAZ”. Her service, they said, has been a source of strength and stability to the Association for more than three decades.

Over that time, Mrs. Rukande’s work has been defined by commitment, hard work and loyalty. In an administrative role that keeps an industry body running day to day, she has supported the Association through changing times, serving its members and working alongside successive leaders and colleagues.

HAZ leadership said her contribution went beyond the tasks of the office. Mrs. Rukande, they noted, has served the Association with excellence and left a lasting impact on everyone she has had the privilege to work with. Her colleagues described her as more than an Administrator, calling her family, history and, in their words, “HAZ” itself. The description reflects how closely her name has become linked with the institution over 34 years.

HAZ is the representative body for Zimbabwe’s hospitality sector, which includes hotels, lodges, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses. In a field where relationships and continuity matter, a long-serving administrator becomes a keeper of institutional memory, a familiar point of contact for members and a steady hand behind the scenes. Her tenure of more than three decades is a rare achievement in any organisation.

In their message, the Presidium, Executive and Secretariat thanked Mrs. Rukande for her years of service, dedication and invaluable contribution to the Association. They said she would be truly missed by colleagues and members alike.

The farewell closed on a personal note, with the Association wishing her a happy, healthy and fulfilling next chapter as she begins life after HAZ.

For many in the hospitality industry, the departure of Mrs. Rukande closes a long chapter in the Association’s story. Her 34 years of service stand as an example of loyalty and professionalism, and a reminder of the people whose steady work sustains the organisations that represent Zimbabwe’s tourism and hospitality businesses.