RODNEY SIKUMBA, LIVINGSTONE CENTRAL’S NEW MP
By NATION REPORTER
SON of the soil, Rodney Malindi Sikumba was born in Livingstone, Zambia
on March 29, 1980. Rodney is the son of the late George Mufalali Sikumba – a profes- sional hotelier who served in public office as Independent Ward Councillor for Dr. Mubitana Ward (1993 to 2001), and president of the Livingstone Rotary Club (1999 – 2000).
Rodney’s mother, the late Rose Cyril Hamafonko Sikumba, was an equally known and well-respected public figure who served as senior collector for the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) in Livingstone.
The time for authentic, in- novative and inspiring leader- ship is now! Livingstone can
become home to the most ex- emplary education and medi- cal centres in the South. Access to wealth and great healthcare is possible. Access to a relatable and proven native man capa- ble of balancing the wisdom/ advice of the elderly, with the more dynamic dreams and
ideas of the young is possible. He believs representation by an MP capable of shifting Livingstone Central from a highly bureaucratic, rheto- ric-centred constituency to one that is focused on developing a thriving, self-sustaining community is indeed possible.
A family man, Rodney is also the proud and highly en- gaged father of three beautiful, smart and grounded children – one daughter and two sons.
A LIFELONG STUDENT AND AMBITIOUS CORPORATE PROFESSIONAL
Rodney began his formal education at Zambezi Primary before advancing to St. Raphael’s where he completed secondary school.
Rodney then proceeded to the University of Zambia (UNZA) where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2003.
Following graduation, he joined Professional Insurance Corporation Zambia Plc, as a graduate trainee.
Ambitious to demonstrate that locally educated Zambians were capable of entering and excelling as corporate leaders, Rodney joined Celtel Zambia Plc (now Airtel) in 2006.
In his role as Corporate Sales Executive, Rodney man- aged the portfolios of large multinational companies and international non governmen- tal organisations, large banks and mines.
After seven years of un- broken service, Rodney tem- porarily relocated to the United States of America to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA), with a focus on Strategy and International Business.
Following graduation from Hult International Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Rodney imme- diately returned to Zambia in 2012.
Upon arrival, he continued in the pursuit of even more knowledge. Keen to acquaint himself with official diplomat- ic practice, protocol and public relations in a structured way,
UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA
Rodney enrolled in vari- ous courses at the Zambia Institute of Diplomacy and International studies.
Simultaneously, Rodney was
appointed Head of Customer Experience for Airtel Zambia. In this role, Rodney accepted the responsibility of manag- ing high net worth customers – a position that required him to evince the highest levels of trust, integrity and profession- alism.
In 2014, Rodney was headhunted to lead Zamtel’s Enterprise Department. Here he successfully man- aged a portfolio valued at US$22million.
He attributes this achieve- ment to his ability to quickly earn trust and maintain strong relationships with senior gov- ernment officials and execu- tives from various industries.
AN AMBITIOUS BUSINESSMAN WHO BELIEVES IN VALUE ADDITION
In 2017, at the age of 37, Rodney established the Hult Investments Group of Companies (HIGC).
Today, HIGC’s employs a large number from all so- cio-economic groups in Livingstone. HIGC’s portfolio of businesses includes; Hult Ice, Hult Apartments, and Hult Travel & Tours Limited (HTTL).Hult Commodities and Logistics is currently on track for launching in 2021.
Through his works with The George and Rose Sikumba Foundation (GRS Foundation), Rodney has il- lustrated his commitment to responding to the needs of others without reservation or hesitation.
RODNEY IS READY FOR LIVINGSTONE IN 2021
It was with great humili- ty and honour that Rodney Malindi Sikumba sought the people’s mandate to serve as their Member of Parliament for Livingstone Constituency.
Rodney pledged to deliver strategic and innovative solu- tions to the good people of Livingstone. He believes that with the direct support and partnership of people working, living in every corner of the city, a new Livingstone can be born. In early 2020, a single virus spread across the world and changed the way people interacted, studied, worked, travelled and even prayed. And with it came unprecedented political, social and civil unrest from citizens around demand- ing reforms on how they are represented, governed, policed and even socially engaged.
One year later, families, cor- porations, governments, pub- lic institutions are still grap- pling to adapt to new realities. No one knows how long these hardest days will forever, but is known is the fact that life will never go back to exactly what it was before. Rodney prays that Livingstonians everywhere understand this too. That that things do not have to go back to
the way they always were – and that’s not a bad thing. Because the old ways, politics as usual, was not working for entirely too many honest, hardworking people in Livingstone.
