Suspended NetOne chief’s hearing Wednesday

Suspended NetOne chief executive Mr Lazarus Muchenje is scheduled to appear before a disciplinary committee on Wednesday.

Mr Muchenje, who joined the parastatal in April, is on suspension for failing to implement a ministerial directive issued by the then Minister of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security to renew the contracts of nine managers that had expired.

Among some of the reasons on his suspension letter, he was suspended for having “ . . . resisted and challenged the board’s authority on how to handle the issue relating to senior management”.
The senior managers have since been reinstated.

Mr Muchenje has approached the High Court seeking urgent relief in the form of a prohibitory interdict against a directive taken by a special board meeting in late June.

The meeting resolved to have the senior executive staff members reinstated.
But Mr Muchenje refused the order, citing incompetence on some of the board members, resulting in a blistering fight that has crippled the network provider.

Transcribed minutes of a board meeting have exposed the hidden hand of former Minister Mandiwanzira who has taken the side of the managers, most of whom were recruited during his tenure.

In the board meeting, deputy chair Mr Sydney Nyanungo said Cde Mandiwanzira had telephoned every board member, including Mr Muchenje, and given the directive that the managers be reinstated because of the “timing” as it was just before the July 30 elections.

Despite persuasions by the board members, Mr Muchenje refused to budge resulting in his suspension.

Mr Muchenje referred all questions to board chair Mr Peter Chingoka whose mobile phone went unanswered yesterday. The Herald