Vernon Mwamuka rose to become one of the most prominent indigenous architects the country has produced to date. Born in 1956 he was educated at St Augustine's School before leaving for England and later the United States of America to study architecture.

Upon his return to Zimbabwe in the late 1980s Mwamuka joined Harvey Buff Architects. He rose to become a senior partner in the firm which eventually changed its name to Mwamuka Mercuri & Associates - Architects.

Mwamuka left his mark on the Zimbabwean urbanscape with high profile projects that included, Southampton Life Centre, Construction House and the Kopje Plaza in Harare. The Joina centre project set to become the largest city development of its kind is still under construction.

Among his other projects were the design of the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo (in conjunction with Mick Pearce) and the extension work of the Four Ways Mall in Johannesburg in association with a sister firm in South Africa. Mwamuka was tragically killed in a road accident while returning from attending a ceremony to celebrate another of his projects - the refurbishment and upgrading of the Bulawayo Airport.