(MISA/IFEX) – The government has, through the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT), asked the entire eight-member Zimpapers board to resign with immediate effect. Those asked to step down are: Nelson Samkange (chairperson), Sarah Kachingwe (deputy chairperson), Macloud Chaora, Bornwell Chakaodza, Raymond Mutambirwa, Adonia Mahleka and Don Muvuti. The chairperson of the ZMMT, Honour Mkushi, said […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The government has, through the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT), asked the entire eight-member Zimpapers board to resign with immediate effect.
Those asked to step down are: Nelson Samkange (chairperson), Sarah Kachingwe (deputy chairperson), Macloud Chaora, Bornwell Chakaodza, Raymond Mutambirwa, Adonia Mahleka and Don Muvuti.
The chairperson of the ZMMT, Honour Mkushi, said that the government, who is the majority shareholder, had indicated during recent meetings that it expected better financial performance at the company. He did not give details.
Samkange told “The Herald” newspaper that the company’s performance had been badly affected by the general economic hardship that hit the country just before the June 2000 general elections. He added that that he and his board had just started to turn around the company.
The board had written to Mkushi, saying that while they were prepared to vacate office, they believed the method chosen contravened the company’s Articles of Association and Companies Act. The directors objected to the manner in which the issue had been handled, saying that a false impression was given to the public that the board had done something wrong. The board also objected to the heavy-handed and abrupt manner in which the decision was communicated to them.
Samkange said his board merely wanted the proper procedures to be followed for the public’s sake.
Zimpapers owns two daily newspapers – “The Herald” and “The Chronicle” – and four weeklies – “The Sunday Mail”, “The Sunday News”, “Manica Post” and “Kwayedza”. The government of Zimbabwe owns 51% of Zimpapers.
