Why Mnangagwa removed Muswere

Information minister Jenfan Muswere was removed from his post just days after dismissing Helliate Rushwaya as chairperson of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation board, amid allegations of corporate governance failures, corruption and incompetence.

Investigations indicate that Muswere was redeployed to the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development in a recent cabinet reshuffle widely viewed as a demotion. In the changes, Zhemu Soda replaced him as Information minister, while Paul Mavima was reassigned to the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities.

Sources say Muswere's removal followed fierce clashes with Rushwaya prior to her dismissal. Rushwaya was replaced by interim board chair Chipo Nheta after being relieved of her duties on February 2, 2026.

Rushwaya is part of a prominent family with close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa. She is the younger sister of Henrietta Rushwaya, president of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation, and related to Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya.

According to findings, Rushwaya was dismissed over a series of governance breaches, including the unprocedural appointment of senior ZBC staff without public advertisement or interviews. Among the contested decisions was the appointment of chief operating officer Tapiwa Mudzamba, a former acting chief executive, in a move said to have contravened the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act.

The Act establishes a mandatory compliance framework for the management and oversight of state-owned enterprises and parastatals, aligning them with Chapter 9 of the Constitution, which emphasises professional ethics, transparency, accountability and efficient resource use. ZBC, as a public broadcaster, falls squarely under its provisions.

Before taking action, Muswere is understood to have escalated concerns to the Corporate Governance Unit within the Office of the President and Cabinet, which monitors compliance and advises line ministries on performance contracts and evaluations.

Further grounds for Rushwaya's dismissal reportedly included failure to produce a strategic plan for 2026 as required under section 22 of the Act, weak financial oversight and excessive expenditure exceeding approved budgets by approximately US$10 million. Investigators also cited the failure to ring-fence US$6 million allocated under the ZimDigital initiative for digitisation and full HD access to local television and radio broadcasting stations.

Additional allegations involved unapproved remuneration, benefits and allowances paid without due process at a broadcaster described as technically insolvent and loss-making. Rushwaya was also accused of failing to comply with her performance contract and presiding over procurement irregularities that allegedly cost the public entity millions.

A senior ZBC executive said Muswere's dismissal was directly linked to his decision to fire Rushwaya, noting that the move came just days before the cabinet reshuffle.

Despite serving as board chairperson, Rushwaya was accused of acting beyond her oversight role and effectively running the broadcaster as chief executive, a situation cited as central to the alleged governance breakdown. She had been appointed board chair in early 2024 after previously serving as acting chief executive from April 2020 and earlier as a non-executive director.

Neither Muswere nor Rushwaya had publicly commented on the developments at the time of publication.