News / National
Zimbabwe syndrome: Nyikayaramba clings to NRZ board
10 Jun 2011 at 05:53hrs | Views
BRIGADIER-GENERAL Douglas Nyikayaramba's board, whose term of office ended three years ago, is still calling the shots at National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), a government official has revealed.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication Tichawona Mudzingwa said the Nyikayaramba board is still running the parastatal although its term of office expired in 2008.
"There is no new board at the moment and the company is still being led by the same board which was led by Nyikayaramba. Nyikayaramba was forced to resign because of the disappearance of electric cables between Gweru and Harare," Mudzingwa said.
Nyikayaramba's board has been under fire from NRZ workers who accuse it of failing to halt the collapse of the country's sole rail transporter. Government is also under pressure to demilitarise parastatals in line with the new political dispensation. NRZ is run by retired Air force of Zimbabwe Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai.
However, Nyikayaramba laughed off the claims saying his term of office expired in June 2008.
"I finished my term in office in 2008 and I do not know what is happening at the NRZ board right now because I am not campaigning for the chairman position; the whole board resigned and you should ask the ministry about what is taking place at NRZ," said Nyikayaramba.
A source close to the goings-on at NRZ said most decisions are still being made by the Nyikayaramba board, adding Transport and Communication minister Nicholas Goche was reluctant to appoint a new board.
Patson Mbiriri, the Secretary for Transport, said that changes were looming at the parastatal but defended the board saying it performed well under difficult circumstances.
"I can confirm that the NRZ board's term (of office) came to an end on May 31 2008 and that a new board will be appointed as soon as is practicable," he said.
"In our view, the board did a sterling job under the circumstances in terms of high inflation, the declining economy, declining cargo volumes, skills flight, and old rolling stock, among other factors."
But Mudzingwa likened the problems NRZ was facing to those of Air Zimbabwe. He said NRZ was now only left with 30 functional locomotives instead of 150, warning this number would dwindle.
"What we need to do is very simple; administration, management and a board overhaul, ending this monopoly and allowing new players to enter the sector. We need to look at China, USA, India and Canada ' they have very efficient authorities running their tracks because they have allowed private players," he said
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication Tichawona Mudzingwa said the Nyikayaramba board is still running the parastatal although its term of office expired in 2008.
"There is no new board at the moment and the company is still being led by the same board which was led by Nyikayaramba. Nyikayaramba was forced to resign because of the disappearance of electric cables between Gweru and Harare," Mudzingwa said.
Nyikayaramba's board has been under fire from NRZ workers who accuse it of failing to halt the collapse of the country's sole rail transporter. Government is also under pressure to demilitarise parastatals in line with the new political dispensation. NRZ is run by retired Air force of Zimbabwe Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai.
However, Nyikayaramba laughed off the claims saying his term of office expired in June 2008.
A source close to the goings-on at NRZ said most decisions are still being made by the Nyikayaramba board, adding Transport and Communication minister Nicholas Goche was reluctant to appoint a new board.
Patson Mbiriri, the Secretary for Transport, said that changes were looming at the parastatal but defended the board saying it performed well under difficult circumstances.
"I can confirm that the NRZ board's term (of office) came to an end on May 31 2008 and that a new board will be appointed as soon as is practicable," he said.
"In our view, the board did a sterling job under the circumstances in terms of high inflation, the declining economy, declining cargo volumes, skills flight, and old rolling stock, among other factors."
But Mudzingwa likened the problems NRZ was facing to those of Air Zimbabwe. He said NRZ was now only left with 30 functional locomotives instead of 150, warning this number would dwindle.
"What we need to do is very simple; administration, management and a board overhaul, ending this monopoly and allowing new players to enter the sector. We need to look at China, USA, India and Canada ' they have very efficient authorities running their tracks because they have allowed private players," he said
Source - ZimInd
