Online Reporter
Trust Khosa-Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
WILL the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association’s raging discord come to an end?
Do the board members and the secretariat or management understand their duties?
Can Zimura, which was registered in 1982 as a Collective Management Organisation (CMO) to protect, licence and manage copyright for music composers, authors and publishers, be trusted?
These are some of the questions on the lips of various music stakeholders, as there seems to be confusion regarding the operations of the association.
The confusion stems from two public notices issued this week, which left members puzzled.
The first public notice, issued on January 12, addressed serious allegations that have rocked the organisation, chief among them the alleged illegal disposal of two flats in Avondale, Harare.
Twenty-four hours later, on January 13, three concerned ZIMURA board members – Dereck Mpofu, Joseph Garakara and Gift Amuli – issued their own notice dissociating themselves from the first announcement, which further sparked confusion.
Investigations by the Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub have revealed a rift between the board and the secretariat or management.
Accusations and counter-accusations have emerged among board members, indicating that much still needs to be addressed.
Some board members who should be involved in operations, rather than merely implementing policies, have raised concerns.
On the other hand, management has been accused of bullying the board, extending to the closure of their WhatsApp group yesterday. Some board members are now demanding an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to clear the air, while the secretariat or management believes they did nothing wrong in issuing the public notice, as the public demanded answers.
In an interview with the Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub, Zimura Deputy Director Henry Makombe, representing management, noted that the public notice was intended to address pressing issues.
“Firstly, board members cannot disassociate themselves from the public notice issued by management, which was addressed to members and other stakeholders,” he shared.
“Transparency is achieved by answering questions raised by the public, as was the case regarding the sale of the two flats.
“As management, it was our role to clear the air so our members could fully understand our operations. After all, the notice was written on proper letterhead.”
Makombe believes that some board members do not understand their roles.
“When we conducted our induction with the new board, I was surprised that one of them demanded an office to work in, while their task is to develop policies for implementation.
“The secretariat’s task is mainly operational, and it surprises us when some board members attempt to perform both policy formulation and operational duties.
“We cannot allow the board to cross this line, as it is management’s responsibility to handle operations, such as licencing and the day-to-day running of Zimura,” he emphasised.
Makombe dismissed allegations of bullying board members, stating they are simply doing their jobs.
“As management, we are not threatening anyone; we are simply required to disseminate correct information. We cannot afford to have everyone issuing statements as they please.”
Regarding the sale of the two flats, Makombe explained, “We want to move to a better location where musicians can come and share their concerns in a friendly environment.
“The two blocks of flats were located in a residential area where we didn’t have a spacious boardroom.
“Currently, we are still using the reception area as a boardroom, and we are moving to a better place soon. In Bulawayo, we have acquired a new location measuring 5 000 square meters, where we will have a technology garden, rehearsal rooms, and a coffee shop.”
Makombe was optimistic that the “discord” could be resolved if people understood their roles.
“We simply need to understand our duties to avoid the confusion that has drawn the attention of our stakeholders.”
In another interview, Amuli, who is responsible for licencing, documentation, and membership mobilisation, accused the secretariat, or management led by Polisile Ncube-Chimhini and her deputy Makombe of bullying.
“The problem started last year during the elections, when some members, like First Farai Batani, Alexio Gwenzi and Dingumuzi Phuti, were re-elected through rigged elections,” fumed Amuli, who issued the June 13 public notice along with Garakara and Mpofu.
“Our members know exactly what happened, and these individuals won through rigging. The secretariat was behind this scheme that resulted in massive electoral fraud, and we won’t allow them to bully us further.
“We are representing the welfare of musicians who are paid as little as $10 annually for airplay, even though they earn thousands monthly.”
When asked about their next steps, Amuli stated they would call for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to address the issues. “We are pressing for an EGM because these individuals need to be stopped. For your information, someone like First Farai should not be near Zimura, given his history as a thief.
“He once stole condolence money, and now he is bullying us again. As for Alexio Gwenzi, he was involved in the sale of the two flats, and we don’t want those characters near Zimura.”
He added: “I know these individuals have a tendency to bully people, but this time around, we won’t allow that to happen. We are ready to fight for what’s rightfully ours.”
The six-member board, which comprises Gwenzi, Batani, Dingumuzi Phuti, Mpofu, Garakara, was selected last October.
Hardly a year after being elected into office, confusion is rocking the board.
Following the discord in Zimura, some have called for Government intervention to resolve the matter or stakeholder engagement.
Peter Tanyanyiwa