Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]
LATELY, the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura), the body entrusted with safeguarding the royalties and rights of the nation’s musicians, has been engulfed in a deepening governance crisis described as reaching a “breaking point.”
A group calling itself the Zimura Renewal Team, claiming to represent concerned members, has issued a scathing open letter demanding immediate evidence, transparency, and accountability from the current leadership faction led by chairperson Alexio Gwenzi.
The letter, addressed to Zimura members, the media, and all stakeholders, centres on the recent and highly contentious expulsion of three elected board members: Dereck Mpofu, Gift Amuli and Joseph Garakara.
The Renewal Team condemns this action as a, “unilateral” move taken “without membership mandate or transparent due process,” formalising what they call a “destructive division” within the association’s leadership.
Asserting that the current leadership has failed, the Renewal Team declares the only path to legitimacy lies in the democratic mechanism enshrined in Zimura’s Articles of Association: an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
They have presented eight specific, non-negotiable demands to Gwenzi and his faction:
1. The Renewal Team demands Mr Gwenzi publicly provide incontrovertible evidence confirming his election as chairperson. This must include the official minutes and formal resolution from the specific meeting where this election occurred.
2. The Team challenges the continued tenure of executive director Polisile Ncube-Chimhini, who stands convicted of fraud. They insist basic governance principles demand she steps aside pending any appeal. The leadership must publicly explain who made the decision for her to remain, the justification for it, and crucially, how this serves the interests of the membership, arguing that an ongoing appeal does not negate the current conviction eroding Zimura’s collective integrity.
3. Full financial transparency regarding royalty distribution is paramount. The leadership must publish a clear, itemised, and auditable report detailing the entire collection and distribution process to prove royalties are calculated and disbursed fairly to members.
4. Responding to widespread discontent over perceived inequity, the team demands a complete, public breakdown of all staff and executive remuneration, including salaries and allowances. They explicitly demand justification for reported high executive salaries (some allegedly exceeding US$3 000 a month) set against the “meagre payments (as low as US$10)” received by members.
5. The controversial sale of a Zimura building requires full forensic disclosure. The Renewal Team insists on a comprehensive report detailing the decision-making process, the specific board resolution authorising the sale, the final sale price, the identities of all parties involved in the transaction, and a complete accounting of every dollar generated from the proceeds.
6. The Team accuses the treasurer of “hiding behind internal channels” and demands an end to financial secrecy. They emphasise that it is the members themselves demanding answers, stating that continued silence constitutes a dereliction of fiduciary duty and renders the treasurer complicit in the association’s prevailing financial opacity.
7. Regarding the expulsion of the three directors, the leadership must provide concrete evidence of its lawfulness. This includes the formal notice served, the minutes of the meeting where the expulsion was decided, and the resolution authorising it. Furthermore, they must provide documented proof that the Registrar of the Copyright and Intellectual Property Office of Zimbabwe was duly notified and has granted official approval for these board removals as required by regulations.
8. Finally, the Renewal Team addresses allegations reportedly made by the Gwenzi faction concerning external influence on directors. If such claims exist, the Team demands the immediate provision of all evidence: specifically identifying who is allegedly paying, the amounts involved, and the purpose. They warn that unsubstantiated claims of this nature are toxic and defamatory.
Directly addressing Gwenzi, the Renewal Team dismisses the prospect of another press conference as an adequate solution.
“The solution is to face the membership directly,” the letter states. They demand the “immediate and proper convening of an EGM,” where Gwenzi and all parties can present their evidence, and crucially, where the full membership can exercise its “sovereign right to decide the future of Zimura.”
Acknowledging the media’s role, the Renewal Team thanks them for their coverage but urges them to uphold the highest principles of investigative journalism. They call on journalists to scrutinise all claims rigorously, demand evidence from every side, and report not just statements, but verifiable facts. “Your pursuit of truth is essential for justice,” the letter concludes.
The Zimura Renewal Team positions itself as the force ready to restore, “transparency, integrity, and member-centric governance” to the embattled association.
This public airing of deep-seated grievances and specific demands for accountability places immense pressure on Gwenzi’s leadership and signals a potential battle for the soul of Zimbabwe’s music royalty collection society.
The response from the Zimura leadership, and crucially, their willingness to convene the demanded EGM, will determine the next move in this escalating crisis.
