Storm brews at NSSA over new team

Business
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has accused the ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare of unilateralism after the government appointed a new executive team at the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) without informing other social partners.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has accused the ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare of unilateralism after the government appointed a new executive team at the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) without informing other social partners.

BY NDAMU SANDU

About two weeks ago, NSSA unveiled an eight-member executive team headed by former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) economist Elizabeth Chitiga, who is the chief executive officer/general manager.

Other executives include Emmerson Mungwariri (chief finance and operations officer), Herbert Hungwe (chief investment officer), Chikuni Mutiswa (chief strategic assets officer), Kura Chihota (chief property investment officer), Henry Chikova (chief social security officer), Barnabas Matongera (chief contributions, collections and compliance officer) and Betty Nyereyegona, who was appointed as chief occupational, health & safety and rehabilitation centre officer.

ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo told Standardbusiness that labour was not advised of the new team and only learnt about it from the newspapers.

“Social partners are supposed to be advised by the parent ministry,” Moyo said.

“We would have expected the ministry to say to ZCTU and Emcoz [Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe] that we now have a new team at NSSA. They did not.

“The last time they dismissed the previous team, they should have had the courtesy to inform the partners.”

Last year, NSSA fired five managers, including then general manager and chief executive officer James Matiza as the Robin Vela-led board began a restructuring exercise at the authority, which had gained notoriety for sinking millions of dollars in distressed banking institutions.

Moyo said once ZCTU was told of a new executive team in place, it would look at the profiles of the new executives.

The concerns by ZCTU come as there have been reservations on the appointment of Mungwariri to hold NSSA’s purse after he was arraigned before the courts on fraud allegations five years ago.

In 2011, Mungwariri and a fellow employee at RioZim were taken to court for allegedly misrepresenting to RioZim that their company, Chaferfly Enterprises, had supplied more than 2 400 tonnes of washed coal peas.

The supply never came and RioZim was allegedly prejudiced of $364 000. Mungwariri was, however, found not guilty and was acquitted by the courts.

Although he was acquitted, observers still say Mungwariri cannot be trusted in holding the key position as knives are also out for NSSA board chairman Robin Vela.

“The NSSA chairman promised the public and tax payer he would stop at nothing to constitute a clean, non-corrupt and unblemished leadership team to re-build public confidence.

“He has obviously not done the due diligence correctly, or the recruitment agency that was hired, if any, has misled him,” an angry tax payer wrote to Standardbusiness last week. “You just need to google the name of the chief financial officer to cast doubt on his obvious non-suitability for a role that handles the public’s contributions towards their pensions.”

The tax payer said the risk, management and governance of huge public funds — under the most powerful institution — was now again in obvious doubt, calling for Vela to step down.

Moyo said his people would check the backgrounds of individuals who had been appointed in response to enquiries on the profile of Mungwariri. “Once we are definite about their profiles, we will be able to react,” he said.

However, Vela told Standardbusiness the recruitment process for executives had been thorough and involved the board human resources committee and a professional recruitment agency, Proserve.

He said the process also involved a series of interviews, a panel interview, psychometric tests and verification of qualifications and checking of criminal records. “The verification of criminal records was done and the return was that Mr Mungwariri had no criminal record,” Vela said.

“There are limits to what the authority can do besides following the processes that we have. These have been documented and we are satisfied with the same.

“It is also common cause that Mr Mungwariri has not been convicted of any crime, has no pending criminal case against him and remains in good standing with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Zimbabwe.”

He admitted that the role of chief finance and operating officer of an authority such as NSSA was crucial, adding the “board remains of the view that Mr Mungwariri is qualified to fulfil this role”.

Vela said the environment was not conducive, to the extent that an accused, “even on frivolous claims, is convicted in the public domain even before he has a chance to attend court and defend himself”.

“I personally find that unfortunate. That said, the board of NSSA has sought, and received, explanation about the circumstances surrounding the news and we are comfortable with the explanations given, coupled with the independently verified facts on the ground,” he said.

Public Service Labour and Social Welfare minister Prisca Mupfumira’s number went unanswered on Friday. She attended the press conference when the new NSSA executive was unveiled.