JB Matiza was a Zimbabwean politician, also a ZANU-PF Central Committee member who served as Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing under Robert Government and as Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development under Emmerson Mnangagwa government. Matiza won election after election as Member of Parliament for his constituency Murehwa South since 1998 and served as Mashonaland East Resident Minister and ZANU-PF provincial chairman.
Born in Murehwa, Matiza att... moreJB Matiza was a Zimbabwean politician, also a ZANU-PF Central Committee member who served as Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing under Robert Government and as Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development under Emmerson Mnangagwa government. Matiza won election after election as Member of Parliament for his constituency Murehwa South since 1998 and served as Mashonaland East Resident Minister and ZANU-PF provincial chairman.
Born in Murehwa, Matiza attended Monte Casino primary school and Murehwa Mission for his secondary education. He 1977 joined the liberation struggle through ZIPRA (Zimbabwe African People’s Revolutionary Army) forces as a cadre in Zambia and used the guerilla name Cde Destroyer Ndlovu. After independence Matiza pursued his education in Nigeria where he attended Federal Govt College Kano (Nigeria) and graduated with a BSc Hons degree in Architecture and an MSc degree in Architecture from Ahmadu Bello University. He was an accomplished Architect and a member of South African Architectural Profession (SAAP and also a Member of Zimbabwe Institute of Architects (MIAZ).
During his tenure in Government under President Mnangagwa’s administration, Minister Matiza pushed for the rehabilitation of roads in the country using local resources and entrusted local companies to undertake the work. Through his ministry, the Government of Zimbabwe embarked on massive road rehabilitation projects of varying magnitudes in every constituency including the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway rehabilitation programme which involved upgrading and widening of the road. This is one of the major infrastructure development projects post-independence which is expected to stretch all the way to Chirundu on the border with Zambia.
Joel Biggie Matiza died from Covid-19 respiratory illness and became a 4th Minister to succumb to the disease within a week. He was survived by wife Lilian and three children; Joel, Joseph and Joshua.
