Zinara bosses resign, 19 employees arrested

Zinara's acting chief executive officer Ms Mathlene Mujokoro and audit manager Mr Shadreck Matengabadza have resigned, while 19 employees have been arrested for fraud cases involving more than US$210 000, as the dragnet on corporate malfeasance closes in on corrupt officials.

More arrests are expected as investigations continue.

Some of the accused employees have already appeared in court.

Zinara's board chairperson Engineer Michael Madanha has already indicated that the parastatal will not be renewing CEO Engineer Nancy Masiyiwa-Chamisa and human resources and operations director Mr Precious Murove's contracts over controversies at the road fund.

Eng Masiyiwa-Chamisa is currently on suspension.

Zinara public relations manager Mr Augustine Moyo confirmed the arrest of the 19 employees.

"There are some employees with 55 counts, while others are facing up to 70 counts of fraud," said Mr Moyo.

"It has been established that bulk licensing is being abused to defraud Zinara.

"Several vehicles with Zimbabwean registration plates were carded by the Central Vehicle Registry and Zinara was requested to card and red flag them. So far, 19 people have been arrested in fraud cases of this nature and investigations are underway on the licensing of vehicles with arrears and penalties."

While Ms Mujokoro's current contract runs until 2021, she says her resignation has been occasioned by "personal engagements".

In a letter addressed to board chairperson Eng Madanha, which was seen by The Sunday Mail, the executive indicated that her contract of employment will terminate on July 31 2019.

"I write to advise that I will not be able to complete my second tenure of contract of employment, which is supposed to run up to 17 September 2021, and would want to give notice of my resignation up to 31 July 2019. This effectively means that my contract of employment with Zinara will terminate on 31 July 2019. The decision has been necessitated by personal engagements that I would want to pursue."

Eng Madanha confirmed receiving Ms Mujokoro's resignation letter.

The new board, he said, is determined to fight corruption at Zinara in line with the aspirations of achieving targets of Vision 2030 as set by President Mnangagwa.

"We are fighting the corruption at Zinara tooth and nail and we are not going to leave any stone unturned in this regard. We have a clear mandate from our Minister (Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza), who is determined to see all those who looted Zinara funds behind bars. We are using our internal systems to uproot the corruption at Zinara.

"The previous executives were sitting on all fraud reports from our internal auditors because they were part and parcel to that game. We are a new broom with new rules aimed at seeing a world class road network by 2030. As such, our fight against corruption is beyond any compromise," said Eng Madanha.

Minister Matiza recently appeared before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee to give evidence on an audit report prepared by Auditor-General Mrs Mildred Chiri. He unearthed the historical corruption that has been obtaining at Zinara, including paying two salaries for two chief executive officers for the past 12 months and splashing thousands of United States dollars on their hairstyles.