A BULAWAYO-BASED pressure group, Ibhetshu LikaZulu, has described the alleged dismissal of National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) board chairman, Alvord Mabhena by newly-appointed Transport minister Jorum Gumbo as tribal.
BY SILAS NKALA
Mbuso Fuzwayo, the spokesperson for Ibhetshu LikaZulu, said the “plot” to kick out Mabhena from the ailing NRZ was motivated by ethnic agendas aimed at getting rid of anyone from Matabeleland from positions of authority.
Fuzwayo’s remarks come at a time when there is confusion on whether Mabhena had been axed out or not.
“Mabhena’s case is a very sad one, which people here must not celebrate,” he said.
“If it is true that he been dismissed, why are we not being told the offence he has committed? This shows that there is tribalism at play and we must not allow our people here to be treated willy nilly by this government.”
Although Gumbo on Wednesday denied sacking Mabhena, the ex-general manager of the parastatal, who had returned to the entity as a board chairman, last week confirmed receiving his letter of dismissal.
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Fuzwayo said if the dismissal of Mabhena was true, then tribalism and nepotism were taking their toll on people from Matabeleland considering the fact that most high-ranking positions in the region were now being given to people from and outside the area.
The pressure group leader said local people must resist attempts by the government to undermine them.
“How can someone be fired without clear reasons being given?” he asked.
Mabhena was appointed by former Transport minister Obert Mpofu last year to turn around the fortunes of the ailing parastatal and was tasked with appointing a new general manager to replace the late Mike Karakadzai, who died in 2013.
But barely 17 months into office, Mabhena was reportedly kicked out by the new minister, Gumbo, amid allegations he had refused to re-advertise the general manager’s past, saying his board had already shortlisted three candidates to be appointed by the minister.
His term was due to expire in 2017.
NRZ has had no substantive general manager for more than two years. Gumbo could not be reached for comment yesterday.
