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Martin Kadzere
The rift between Minister of Public Works, Labour and Social Welfare Sekai Nzenza and her Permanent Secretary Judith Katerera, reportedly widened this week over a host of issues among them National Social Security Authority (NSSA) audit, with the latter accused of gross insubordination, according to close sources.
On Monday, Nzenza called for a meeting where she gave an order for all departmental heads to directly report to her in a clear sign of a strained relationship with her Permanent Secretary.
Nzenza confirmed the meeting when contacted for a comment on Tuesday.
The matter has also sucked in a cabinet minister (name supplied), whom Nzenza is accused of protecting after being implicated in a NSSA forensic audit.
Sources said Nzenza and her deputy, Lovemore Matuke have persistently complained about failure by Katerera to advise them on key operational and policy issues.
“There is a big problem between the Minister and the Permanent Secretary,” said one source who requested not to be named for professional reasons.
“There is no team work and the issue is largely to do with alleged gross insubordination on the part of Katerera.
‘‘The minister and her deputy feel they are not being advised properly on the ministry’s affairs, which amounts to gross insubordination.”
When contracted for a comment, Nzenza confirmed all was not well with Katerera. She also confirmed the meeting on Monday, saying it was to come up with communication matrix within the ministry.
While Katerera was invited to be part of the meeting, she did not attend.
“A lot of things are happening in the ministry but we are not told,” said Nzenza.
‘‘We certainly don’t know what she (Katerera) is doing and everyone is affected including the directors. Sometimes she leaves office without telling anyone and being a senior accounting officer, I think it should not be like that,” she added.
No comment could be obtained from Katerera by the time of going to print yesterday as her phone was not reachable.
Early this year, it was reported that Katerera had left the ministry due to strained relations with Nzenza, mainly over the appointment of boards at NSSA and its subsidiary National Building Society. The minister has since appointed the NSSA board led by former Potraz director Cuthbert Chidoori.
Asked if the rift with Katerera had something to do with attempts to cover up irregular involvement of her fellow Cabinet minister in shady deals exposed by the NSSA forensic report, Nzenza said “not at all’.’
“The board is dealing with the forensic audit report and I will be advised on way forward,” she said.
NSSA is the single largest investor on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, with assets worth over $1,1 billion and developments affects many companies and individuals.
Bongani Ndlovu