Career
Mangwana, who had previously served as Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, was appointed as Minister of State for State Enterprises and Parastatals on 25 August 2002. He was subsequently appointed as Minister of Labour and Social Welfare on 9 February 2004 and later served as acting Minister of Information before being appointed as Minister of Indigenisation and Empowerment on 6 February 2007. After the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Bill, which provides for Zimbabweans to hold a majority share in all businesses, was passed in March 2008, Mangwana said that the law did not mean expropriation would take place and that there was "no reason to panic".
He noted that existing businesses would "need time to adjust" and said that "engagement and consultation" would take place within a timeframe of perhaps five or ten years.
Mangwana was nominated by ZANU-Public Finance as its candidate for the House of Assembly seat from Chivi Central constituency, in Masvingo Province, in the March 2008 parliamentary election.