CEO Africa Roundtable ordered to Pay US consultant

The High Court has ruled in favour of US-based consultant Simba Mujuru, ordering CEO Africa Roundtable to pay him US$4,500 for services rendered during a business mission to the United States in 2023.

The ruling by Justice Neville Wamambo followed Mujuru's appeal against a Magistrate's Court decision, which had dismissed his claim for over US$6,000. While the High Court confirmed the consultancy fee of US$4,500, it upheld the lower court's dismissal of an additional US$1,610 claimed for extra expenses.

Mujuru had been hired under a Service Level Agreement to organise business roundtables, seminars, and company visits during the 2023 US business trip. The original contract stipulated a US$15,000 service fee plus US$5,400 in programme costs.

Justice Wamambo noted the contract was ambiguously drafted and criticised the lower court for relying on a verbal contract that was never proven. He concluded that Mujuru had sufficiently demonstrated that the CEO Africa Roundtable acknowledged the outstanding debt.

The judge ordered the payment of US$4,500, or its equivalent in Zimbabwean dollars at the prevailing interbank rate, and costs, while dismissing the additional expense claim.

Following the ruling, Mujuru hailed it as a confidence booster for the Diaspora and international investors, saying it demonstrated that Zimbabwe's judicial system protects contracts and ensures legal recourse.

CEO Africa Roundtable serves as a platform for senior executives and aims to advance economic development across Africa.