HARARE – The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has appointed Charles Shava as its substantive General Manager/Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2025, replacing Arthur Manase who was removed in July 2022 following widespread corruption allegations.
Shava, who previously served as NSSA’s Director of Occupational Safety and Health, took on the role of Acting General Manager in July 2022 after Manase was sent on forced leave. He was later replaced by Agnes Masiiwa as acting general manager, before his substantive appointment.
The decision to send Manase on leave in July 2022 came after media reports exposed alleged financial improprieties, including substantial allowances and benefits paid to top executives while pensioners reportedly received minimal benefits.
Investigations by various state entities, including the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), were initiated to probe the allegations.
Reports at the time detailed a US$750,000 housing loan and a continued US$2,500 monthly housing allowance for Manase, despite already owning a home.
Other executives were also reported to have received significant loans and luxury vehicles. Concerns were also raised about lavish expenses, such as a board vacation in Kenya branded as a strategic training.
NSSA, a key institution responsible for providing social security benefits to over 250,000 beneficiaries and covering approximately 1.3 million active employees, is also the largest institutional investor in Zimbabwe.
Its mandate includes providing occupational safety and health services.
According to the appointing authority, Shava brings a wealth of experience to his new role, with a background spanning occupational medicine, public health, and social security delivery.
He holds degrees in Medicine and Surgery, a Master of Science Degree in Occupational Safety and Health from Middlesex University London, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Hygiene from the University of Manchester.
He is also a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health UK (IOSH UK).
NSSA Board Chairman, Emmanuel Anesu Fundira, expressed the board’s pleasure in announcing Dr. Shava’s appointment, citing that it is in terms of Section 25 of the NSSA Act (Chapter 17:04) and Section 17 (2) of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act (Chapter 10:31).
Shava is, however, not new to controversy. In 2023, he was arrested for allegedly manipulating board resolutions to authorise unapproved wage increases for NSSA medical doctors.
He faced charges of fraud over claims he altered a rejected board resolution to facilitate the payment of on-call, non-practicing, and medical allowances to four doctors.
Shava allegedly instructed the Acting Director of Human Resources to proceed with these payments, totaling ZWL12 million, despite knowing that the board’s conditions had not been met.
Following his arrest, Shava was granted ZWL500,000 bail. He is yet to be cleared.
