Zesa fires its CEO

ZESA Holdings has fired chief executive Joshua Chifamba after the board decided not to extend his second term contract following his suspension and subsequent arrest last year over damning allegations of corruption and criminal abuse of office.

Engineer Chifamba's contract expired sometime last year, having been extended by four years after earlier serving for three years as Zesa CEO.

This time, the contract will not be extended by 'effluxion of time", according a letter seen by the media.

The Zesa board took the decision not to renew Chifamba's contract on December 13, 2018. The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has since endorsed the board's decision in consultation with Energy and Power Development Minister Joram Gumbo.

Secretary for Energy and Power Development Engineer Gloria Magombo in a letter dated February 5, 2018 to group legal adviser Saidi Sangula said ZESA Holdings could now proceed to finalise the matter in line with Eng. Chifamba's contract.

Engineer Chifamba was arrested in October last year is in connection with the criminal abuse of office in the awarding of a contract involving Zesa's unit Zent and Indian firm, PME, for the supply of transformers and other equipment worth $35 million.

The Zesa boss was arrested together with Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution managing director Engineer Julian Chinembiri and his finance director Thokozani Dhliwayo.

More to follow...