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THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) is scouting for a suitably qualified candidate to fill the post of general manager that became vacant after the death of Retired Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai in August 2013.Engineer Lewis Mukwada has been at the helm of the troubled giant parastatal after Karakadzai was killed in a horrific car crash near Shangani along the Bulawayo-Harare highway.
NRZ yesterday said filling the vacant post was critical towards provision of “strategic leadership to the organisation” and ensuring that it takes its meaningful contribution to the country’s economy and that of the sub-region.
Provision of a safe, secure, reliable and efficient railway transport infrastructure and service in the movement of freight and passengers is at the heart of sustainable economic revival.
The new general manager is, among other things, expected to give strategic direction to NRZ turnaround, develop and implement strategic business plans, coordinate, control and evaluate the organisation’s capital programmes.
The candidate must be a holder of a university degree, have excellent leadership skills, be results-oriented and have at least 10 years experience.
Also up for grabs are the positions of director of finance and administration division and director of operations division in Bulawayo.
The parastatal needs to acquire new locomotives, wagons, repair ageing railway infrastructure, signals and other key equipment, at an estimated cost of $450 million.
In the wake of a difficult economy, vandalism and declining workforce morale due to delayed payment and exodus of qualified personnel, NRZ is struggling to render efficient service, which has seen its traditional clients turning to road transport.
Over the years the relationship between management and its workers has turned frosty over poor working conditions and concerns over alleged mismanagement by the company’s top brass.
Early this year Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu dissolved the Dr Kotsho Dube-led board and replaced it with a new board led by the parastatal’s former general manager Alvord Mabhena.
The minister recently said the government was engaged in talks with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) to inject between $450 and $700 million towards resuscitation of NRZ.
The company also stands to benefit from bulk infrastructure funding from China under the mega deals brokered by President Mugabe during his recent visit to the Asian giant.
NRZ is a key player in economic turnaround whose revival is expected to breathe new life in several companies along the value chain.
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derick.khumalo