By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) has rapped the recent appointment of Simba Chikore, President Robert Mugabe’s son-in-law as the new Air Zimbabwe chief operating officer (COO).
Chikore is married to Mugabe’s only daughter, Bona.
Old reports indicated that Grace, Bona’s mother and Mugabe’s wife, at one time lobbied for Chikore to be given a post at Air Zimbabwe.
In a statement on Wednesday, MDC-T information and publicity secretary, Obert Gutu, described the appointment as tragic, adding that Mugabe was building a family dynasty.
“The appointment of Simba Chikore as the Chief Operations Officer at Air Zimbabwe (Private) Limited is a very sad and tragic development for the country.
“This just confirms that the Mugabe dynasty has virtually privatised the State. Zimbabwe is now equivalent to a private limited company whose majority shareholders are the Mugabe dynasty and their cronies,” said Gutu.
He said MDC-T doubted if the Air Zimbabwe board subjected Chikore to a transparent job selction process.
“As a party, we very much doubt that Simba Chikore was subjected to transparent interviewing process before he landed his new job as the Chief Operations Officer of the near bankrupt national airline.
“More importantly, we have got very serious doubts concerning Simba Chikore’s suitability for this high profile assignment at the perennially loss – making national airline. This whole episode smacks of naked and crude nepotism and patronage,” said Gutu.
He challenged the Air Zimbabwe and the Transport minister, Joram Gumbo, to prove that Chikore was the most suitable candidate for the job and provide details regarding the selection process.
Gumbo, however, insisted that everything was done above board and claimed that Chikore had vast experience in aviation.
“He has a lot of experience in the aviation industry that he gained initially at Air Zimbabwe, and subsequently with international airlines like Qatar. He excelled during the interview, and we are satisfied that his credentials actually surpass the required qualifications,” Gumbo told government controlled media.
The minister denied undue influence in Chikore’s appointment.
“We appointed him in his own right as Simba Chikore. Remember, he is a Zimbabwean who is entitled to take up any job as long as those offering it are satisfied that he is the best person. Remember, in any society, there are relations and that should not distract us from appointing competent people.
“There is nothing untoward about that. In any case, the President is my nephew. Can people therefore objectively allege that I was appointed in irregular circumstances? We cannot deny someone a job on the basis that he is related to another person even when we are satisfied that he is the best for the post,” said Gumbo.
Chikore’s brother, Derrick, was recently awarded a $200 million power tender at Dema but it has emerged that his selection was done with following laid down tendering procedures. Nehanda Radio
