Stancy Pekenia Bande: Combines Commitment To Compliance With A Vision

The Construction sector in Zimbabwe is a key driver for economic growth with over $2 billion invested in recent years across roads, housing, energy and water projects, supported by government priorities under National Development Strategy. With continuous challenges of high material costs, currency volatility etc., leaders who are able to provide strategic financial leadership, ensure sound financial management and support sustainable growth are shaping the future of this sector.

One of those leaders is Stancy Bande who defines it all as she is at the financial helm of Gomulah Construction, one of the upcoming civil works and project management companies. With more than a decade of professional experience, she is a trusted financial expert with expertise spanning across auditing, financial reporting, and risk assurance across industries, including mining, pharmaceuticals, and NGOs in both Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Far beyond traditional number-crunching, she has also demonstrated strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. Transparency, accountability, and agility define competitiveness and the industry enables leaders to make informed decisions and achieve meaningful growth.

Beyond her technical depth, Stancy is passionate about leadership development, believing that success comes from nurturing others and leaving a lasting professional legacy. A proud ICAZ chartered accountant and active member of ISACA and PAAB, she began her professional journey at BDO Zimbabwe before rising into partnership at Kreston and now a director in construction.

Tell us about your 14-year-long professional journey in accounting and finance.

I embarked on my journey with BDO Chartered Accountants which started during my university attachments and evolved into a full Articles of Clerkship program. It shaped my belief that true leadership is about investing in others by multiplying yourself through training, mentoring, and giving, people exposure.

Transitioning into the industry was a new challenge, where organizational politics came into play. The experience taught me how to navigate difficult dynamics, manage expectations, and build resilience in complex environments.

Introduce us to Gomulah Construction and the expanse of your role as the firm’s Finance Director.

Gomulah Construction independently operates as a legally registered entity in Zimbabwe. It’s core functionality lies in civil works and construction space, emphasizing project management and building development.

As a Finance Director, I am responsible for driving financial strategy and planning. This involves designing financial roadmaps, both short-and long term, that align seamlessly with the company’s broader objectives, ensuring growth and sustainability.

My work is not restricted within the borders of a prescribed role, as it goes designing financial strategies and making them work in practice. I oversee cash flow management to guarantee that every project has the right funding in place and that resources are deployed as planned. At the same time, I provide leadership to the finance team, giving them directions, setting priorities and ensuring collective efforts toward achieving company goals.

What key business challenges do you encounter in your role at Gomulah Construction? How do you navigate through these roadblocks?

One can witness thriving and intense competition along with access to finance being as a major hurdle in Zimbabwe’s booming construction sector. With projects requiring upfront investment, yet funding is often delayed or inaccessible due to economic volatility and shifting currency regulations.

For small to medium enterprises like Gomulah Construction, building a partnership has become a key strategy to sustain growth and deliver projects. The construction sector of the country is full of potential. With shifting policies and currency dynamics, the nation has limited access to working capital or machinery investment is limited. For us collaboration and partnerships often make the difference between holding back and moving forward.

Given the dynamic nature of the finance function, What are your current focus areas in terms of driving growth for Gomulah Construction?

Growth for Gomulah Construction is to unlock efforts in collaboration and working efficiently. We can combine strengths, share risks, and ensure successful project delivery simply by developing partnership across the industry. When smaller firms unite for government tenders, it creates opportunities not just for business success but also for driving development in the communities we serve.

We have channelized our focus primarily on channelizing our efforts with amplifying partnerships with small and medium-sized firms within the sector. With a clear vision, we combine our expertise and capacity, we can successfully compete for a larger project, deliver them with excellence, and share the benefits across all participating firms.

Looking back, which key professional milestones standout to you? What is your ‘success mantra’?

Qualifying as an accountant stands out as a defining achievement in my life. The pressure of appearing for final exams so soon after childbirth tested me in every way, but it taught me resilience and cultivated a mindset that enables success.

For me, leadership is reflected in people I mentor and communities I give back to. I believe that success is not just personal, it is about motivating others through my story, showing them with focus and planning they can achieve. Mentoring others while continuing to be mentored myself, brings me closer to the fact that any comfort zone means it is time to move. Real growth comes from seeking challenges, embracing discomfort, and stretching into the next level of leadership.

How do you foresee Zimbabwe’s business finance landscape evolving in the near future?

At present, Zimbabwe’s construction industry is thriving with rising demand for new building and infrastructure directly aiming towards sustained growth. But the real game-changer will come from the financial sector. With fintech innovation accelerating and tools like artificial intelligence reshape service delivery, financial institutions adapt quickly to lead the way. With technology as an enabler, the finance industry holds strong potentials to drive inclusive and long-term growth in the country.

Stancy Pekenia Bande, Finance Director, Gomulah Construction

Stancy Pekenia Bande has her career built on values such as precision, integrity, and impact. Her professional journey spans diverse industries such as mining, pharmaceuticals, and NGOs. As Chartered Accountant with ICAZ and an active member of ISACA and PAAB, Stancy acts more than a technical expert, as she mentors, leads, and believes in leaving a legacy through growth of people and purpose.