In a surprising turn of events, the resignation of Adelaide Chikunguru, the chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), has taken an unexpected twist with the emergence of a letter alleging that Information Minister Jenfan Muswere played a pivotal role in her departure from the parastatal.
Dated October 10, 2023, the letter in question was addressed to the Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet. Copies were also sent to various high-ranking officials, including Information Permanent Secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana, Corporate Governance Unit Permanent Secretary Allen Choruma, then Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Minister Christopher Mutsvangwa, and ZBC Board Chairperson Josaya Tayi.
In the letter, Chikunguru claims that Muswere exerted pressure on her to resign, citing instances of perceived insults during meetings. She expressed her concerns regarding the minister’s repeated assertions of the incompetence and failure of the ZBC management and board. Chikunguru further disclosed that Muswere had expressed his intention to dismiss both the board and herself. These allegations were made despite the provision of reports and performance reviews by the Corporate Governance Unit, as stated in the letter.
Chikunguru elaborated on the minister’s accusations, claiming that he accused her of withholding required documents and labelled her as a non-performer. She highlighted that Muswere had even mentioned his intention to grant salary increments to ZBC staff while deliberately excluding the management team due to their alleged underperformance. Chikunguru found these accusations and insults perplexing, particularly when they were made in the presence of her subordinates.
The former ZBC CEO also revealed that Muswere’s insistence on her resignation stemmed from his assumption that she was related to ex-Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa. Chikunguru clarified that her relationship with Mutsvangwa had been strictly professional, emphasizing that they only met after she assumed her role at ZBC. She expressed her belief that Muswere’s tone and insinuations arose from the mistaken belief that her appointment was not based on merit.
“He further made accusations that I had not given him the required documents and that I was a non-performer. He highlighted in one of the meetings that his intention was to award salary increments to ZBC staff and exclude management since they were non-performers. I did not understand the basis of these accusations and insults, especially considering that some of them were made in the presence of my subordinates.
“Judging from his tone, I believe that he thinks I am in some way related to the former minister and may not have got to my position by merit. He insinuated this in many meetings. However, this is untrue as you know, my relationship with the former minister Hon Mutsvangwa was professional and I only met her when I joined ZBC,” she said.
The emergence of this letter adds a new layer of complexity to Chikunguru’s resignation, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding her departure from ZBC.
