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Martin Kadzere
Recent claims by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Dr Sam Kundishora (Engineer) suggesting that not at any point was Dr Douglas Mamvura appointed on NetOne board could have surprised many people who have been following the NetOne saga for the past few months.
Much like a cat that was once trapped in a bag, Dr Kundishora revealed that Dr Mamvura, who has been fighting for recognition as NetOne board member since last year, having been appointed on October 18, 2019, was “at no stage” appointed on the board of State owned entity.
For an issue that had been dragging for several months now, and being at the centre of boardroom squabbles afflicting the country’s second largest mobile telecoms company, many people have questioned the timing of the revelation of this “secret.”
Some observers have suggested that Dr Kundishora”s claim, which came after board member Dr Ranga Mavhunga was arrested and freed on $10 000 bail for perjury (lying under oath) was meant to aid the latter’s argument in the court.
The alleged lie was made when Mavhunga and acting chairperson Ms Susan Mutangadura, a legal practitioner filed opposing affidavits in a case in which chief executive Lazarus Muchenje sought his suspension nullified because the resolution to suspend him was not unanimous since Dr Mamvura, a bona fide director was not involved in such decision.
Dr Mamvura was appointed on NetOne board on October 18 last year, but was never invited for a single board meeting even though the board was aware of his appointment. “I would like to believe that Kundishora is being used as pawn,” said a retired public administrator who requested not to be named for professional reasons.
“He runs the ministry and he should have been aware of this appointment especially when us in the periphery are convinced given the evidence in the public domain.
“The appointment of senior public officers is a process which goes through many hands and it would be naive to believe that Mamvura was appointed through the back door.
“Approvals from the highest office have to secured. The role of the minister is simply to notify of the appointment but otherwise the appointing authority is the President.
“Besides, the status of Dr Mamvura has been dragging and one wonders why Kundishora took so long to clarify this matter if indeed Dr Mamvura was never appointed. Why now,” queried the former administrator who now does part time lecturing at local public and private universities.
Dr Kundishora attempted to invalidate perjury charges against Mutangadura and Mavhunga by claiming that Dr Mamvura was never appointed on the NetOne board.
“This serves to confirm that at no stage did the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services advise NetOne Cellular Private Limited not the company’s board of directors that Mr Douglas Mamvura had been appointed to the board of directors of NetOne.
“The Ministry is seized with the appointment of directors for NetOne and is the only authority that can advise the company when such appointments are made. All board appointments are formally communicated to NetOne by the ministry.
“It has come to the ministry’s attention that some members of the board of directors of NetOne are being charged with perjury because they stated that Mr Mamvura was never appointed to the board of NetOne. Their statement is correct as articulated above,” Dr Kundishora was quoted in our sister paper, The Herald.
However, evidence available shows Dr Mamvura was appointed by the then Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Kazembe Kazembe.
“Following the dissolution of the NetOne board on 18 October 2018, I am pleased to advise that His Excellence President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has authorised me to appoint you as a board member of the newly constituted board. This appointment is with effect from 18 October, 2019 for four years,” wrote Minister Kazembe.
Concerned about not being invited to board meetings, Dr Mamvura notified the company secretary of his appointment in February this year, three months after his appointment.
He was then invited to attend a special board meeting on February 13, 2020, but was asked to leave and advised to report to the Ministry for a “brief.”
In a letter addressed to ICT Minister Jenfan Muswere on February 17, 2020, Dr Mamvura said he was prepared to work as NetOne board member since his appointment had been approved by the President.
Rejecting the appointment was tantamount to snubbing the President and trust the authorities had in him.
He stated that it was not his fault that he had not attended board meetings as he was never invited.
Dr Mamvura also copied the letter to the company secretary so that he would be included in future meetings.
Subsequent to the letter, there have been special board meetings but Dr Mamvura was never invited.
Interestingly, the ministry at some point wanted to dismiss Dr Mamvura for failing to attend board meetings.
“It is common that ministers want to have people they trust on boards of parastatals which fall under their Ministries and in this particular case, the Minister should have simply dissolved the board to avoid this embarrassing situation,” a prominent corporate governance expert said.
In February this year, three board members, including chairman Mr James Mutizwa resigned under unclear circumstances. Other board members were Ms Sibonile Dhliwayo (audit committee chair) and Mrs Keuemetsi Mupandawana (HR committee chair). Paradzai Chakona, another board member was dismissed in May.
Before the arrest of Mavhunga, he and Mutangadura had obtained a court interdict barring the police from seizing some company documents.
The police wanted to investigate potential abuse of office by Mutangadura and Mavhunga. The police wanted to investigate if Mavhunga declared his interest before his company FMC Finance entered into a business partnership with NetOne.
The State law enforcers also wanted to investigate suspected criminal abuse of office by Mutangadura, after she appointed her business associate — Retired Justice Moses Chinhengo — to preside over a disciplinary hearing of former CEO Lazarus Muchenje.
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