Ivan Munhamu Murambiwa (20 October 1965 - 7 August 2021) was a distinguished teacher, archaeologist, and archivist who contributed significantly to the growth and development of the National Archives of Zimbabwe and the broader archival community in Zimbabwe, and across the continent. Murambiwa held and a BA Honours in History and a Masters in Business Administration, both from University of Zimbabwe, as well as a Master of Philosophy (Heritage Management) from Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge (UK), which he earned after being awarded the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholarship in 1990. Murambiwa joined the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) where he worked in various capacities including inter-alia, Curator of Archaeology, Heritage Programme Coordinator and Regional Director for the Eastern Region (Manicaland) between 1997 to 2000. In 2000 he was promoted to Director of National Archives of Zimbabwe at a prime age of 35, a post he held until his untimely death on 07 August 2021. Ivan Munhamu Murambiwa's leadership exemplified bravery and resilience in the face of sanctions at the National Archives of Zimbabwe. He spearheaded a number of initiatives including capacity building for records and archive management through tertirary institutions, and the digitisation of endangered and rare materials in the archival collection. He also invited a diversity of perspectives into the archive through projects like 'Capturing a Fading National Memory' and the 'One Nation, One Zimbabwe Project'. Regionally and internationally, he was a leading voice in the field of Records and Archives Management. He was a member of the International Council, Secretary General of SADC Association of Museums and Monuments (SADCAMM), and was twice-elected President of ESARBICA, enhancing regional collaboration. He actively advocated for the repatriation of migrated and dispersed archives back to their countries of origin. In 2011, he successfully led the demand for the repatriation of the Rhodesia Cabinet Files, which had been smuggled out of Zimbabwe to South Africa in the late 1970s, amidst the collapse of United Democratic Front's white-minority rule.
Archiving to the last archivist standing: the National Archives of Zimbabwe under sanctions