admin
Martin Kadzere Harare Bureau
ALLIED Timbers Holdings has appointed Itayi Ndudzo, a Harare-based commercial lawyer as chairman of the state-controlled enterprise following the departure of Emmanuel Fundira.
Fundira was relieved of his duties on Monday for as yet unclear reasons after serving as board chair for nine months.
Allied is involved in timber plantations and processing and falls under the purview of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate.
In a letter confirming Ndudzo’s appointment, Secretary for Environment, Water and Climate Ministry Prince Mupazviriho said the appointment was with effect from June 8.
“I would therefore like to congratulate you on this appointment and look forward to your very important contribution in giving direction and control of the operations of the company,” wrote Mupazviriho in a letter copied to the Minister.
In an interview, Ndudzo, who is also chairman of Doves Funeral Services and non executive director of Doves Holdings said he was prepared for the new task.
“I have faith in God and absolute confidence in my fellow board members who I believe have the necessary expertise and commitment to turn around the fortunes of the company,” said Ndudzo.
He added that one of the immediate priorities was to appoint a substantive chief executive with capacity to put the company on a firm path to profitability.
Former chief executive Joseph Kanyekanye left the group in February this year after agreeing on mutual separation with the board. Prior to the termination of his contract, Kanyekanye was on suspension after the board raised several charges of misconduct against him.
The suspension was meant to facilitate investigations into his conduct which was bordering on corruption, failure to observe operating procedures and gross insubordination.
While the reasons for Fundira’s dismissal could not be immediately established, speculation was that the move could be linked to allegations of gross abuse of the company’s financial resources, as reported in the previous issue of our sister paper, The Sunday Mail.
It is alleged Fundira withdrew money from the company’s coffers in what he called board oversight fees, although the company did not provide for such allowances.
Fundira has denied the allegations
He said no charges of misconduct have been raised against him, adding that there were no “official disagreements” between him and the shareholder. Fundira said he performed his tasks to the satisfaction of the shareholder during his time with the company.
“Let me say I don’t have any official disagreements with my principal and it was not a full-time job,” he said in an interview. “I played my part to the satisfaction of my principal and I wait for another deployment,”
Fundira was not prepared to further discuss “issues of professional nature in the Press until the release of an official statement.”
Fundira, a businessman with interest in tourism was appointed as Allied chair in September last year.
Allied has three divisions — Allied Timbers Zimbabwe, Allied Timbers Saligna and Altim Zimbabwe. Its operations involve plantations, harvesting, and processing, marketing and selling of both pine and gum.
Its operations are highly concentrated in the Eastern Highlands and the Midlands.
The company specialises in sawn timber, poles, and various other value added timber-based products such as doors, flooring and chalkboards.
Online Reporter