By Paul Nyathi|As it gets more certain by the day that Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Mangudya will be relieved of his position, speculations are now rife as to who will take over arguably one of the country’s very challenging jobs at the moment.

Critics have started peddling various names with current World Bank Zimbabwean employee Andrew Ndaamunhu Bvumbe emerging as favourite to land the job.

Bvumbe is currently serving as the Executive Director for Africa Group 1 Constituency (AFG1) at the World Bank. He was serving as Alternate Executive Director from November 2014 to October 2016.

Bvumbe’s professional background includes experience in macroeconomic management as a senior official in the Ministry of Finance, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and as Executive Director at the African Development Bank.

Prior to joining the WBG, he served as Head of the Aid and Debt Management Office at the Ministry of Finance. Before that he served as Permanent Secretary for Planning in the Ministry of Economic Planning; Director in the Privatization Agency of Zimbabwe; and as Principal Director in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

Earlier in his career he served as Chief Economist and Assistant Director for Economic Research and Policy at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

Bvumbe was Executive Director at the Board of the African Development Bank from 2007 to 2010, and Alternate Executive Director from 2005 to 2007.

He holds MSc and BSc in Economics from the University of Zimbabwe.

Renowned writer and commentator Hopewell Chinono said in his Facebook page on the possibility of Bvume being appointed governor of the Reserve Bank;

“That man will bring sanity to our Central Bank if the authorities summon the courage to do the right thing, not all these Mickey Mouse bankers. Before you go to bed, pray that the President appoints Andrew Bvumbe as the next RBZ Governor.”