ZIMURA executive director Chimhini steps down

Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) executive director Polisile Ncube Chimhini has stepped down, bringing to an end a 30-year tenure that had in recent months been overshadowed by controversy and growing unrest within the organisation.

In a statement, ZIMURA's board portrayed Chimhini's departure as a voluntary decision to "pursue other professional avenues," but her exit comes amid sustained backlash from musicians over alleged corruption, opaque governance and the systematic exploitation of artists.

"The Board of Directors of the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) wishes to formally advise its members and stakeholders that Mrs Polisile Ncube Chimhini has concluded her tenure as Executive Director of the Association, effective immediately," the statement read.

"This follows a period of engagement and reflection, during which Mrs Chimhini indicated her intention to pursue other professional avenues after many years of dedicated service to the Association and the broader intellectual property sector."

Chimhini's departure comes at a turbulent time for the collective management organisation, which has been facing increasing pressure from its membership to account for revenue collected from music licensing and airplay. Many musicians have accused ZIMURA's leadership of enriching itself while artists receive meagre royalties.

Last year, Chimhini was convicted of fraud by Harare magistrate Rufaro Panavanhu, a development that further dented the credibility of ZIMURA's leadership and intensified calls for reform within the organisation.

Tensions escalated further following an investigation by Earground, which alleged that ZIMURA's executive, through its newly appointed board chairperson Alexio Gwenzi, sold two Avondale flats belonging to the association at a low price via Seeff Zimbabwe, where Gwenzi is employed as a real estate agent. The revelations fuelled anger among musicians, who accused management of asset stripping and self-dealing.

Since then, artists have mobilised against the leadership, accusing it of sidelining musicians from decision-making processes and running ZIMURA as a closed shop detached from the interests of its members.

ZIMURA has, however, dismissed its critics, describing the protesting musicians as a "splinter group" and maintaining that the association is being properly governed.

Chimhini's exit marks a significant moment for ZIMURA, with artists now demanding deeper structural reforms and greater transparency as the organisation charts its future without its long-serving executive director.