INFORMATION, Media and Broadcasting Services minister Jonathan Moyo has withdrawn the appointment of new ZBC board chairman Dennis Magaya as he was facing serious allegations of inflated consultancy fees involving his firm.
Staff Reporter
Silveira House director Gibson Munyoro has since been appointed the new ZBC chair and retired diplomat Pritchard Zhou, who served in the United States and South Africa, has been appointed to replace Munyoro on the board.
Moyo said in a statement last night: “This is after the ministry learnt today (yesterday) that despite Dr Magaya’s previous submissions, backed by a documented record, his consultancy services to Powertel face serious allegations, some of which have been previously raised by some sections of the media.”
The minister added: “The allegations are that he has been a recipient of inflated consultancy fees and that he has been an undeserving beneficiary of the corruption of tender procedures by the recently dissolved Powertel board.
“In particular and of great concern to the ministry, it has since transpired that after designing a $25 million new strategy for Powertel, the recently dissolved board proceeded to hire Dr Magaya to implement his own design despite the fact that the State Procurement Board had specifically disqualified his company from participating in the tender on grounds that he was conflicted as the designer of the strategy which was the subject of the tender.”
Moyo said although Magaya had vast experience and an impeccable professional background which stood him in good stead to serve on the new ZBC board, he was unable to retain him given the allegations precisely echoing the rot that has bedevilled the ZBC.
“The challenges in parastatals or State enterprises require zero tolerance to corruption in all its manifestations,” Moyo said.
