Crisis deepens at ZESA Enterprises as workers declare no confidence in leadership

Leaked internal documents, worker petitions and formal complaints reviewed by Nehanda Radio have raised questions about governance practices, labour relations and procurement procedures at ZESA Enterprises (ZENT), amid allegations involving senior management officials.

The documents, which were reportedly circulated to the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, the Mutapa Investment Fund and other oversight offices, include petitions from employees, procurement-related correspondence and complaints relating to workplace conduct and management practices.

At the centre of the complaints is Acting Managing Director Engineer Godfrey Mugaviri, who workers accuse of presiding over what they describe as a deteriorating corporate environment marked by strained labour relations, management restructuring disputes and allegations of intimidation.

In a petition addressed to the ZESA Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer, workers alleged that ZENT had been reduced to what they described as a “tuckshop business” due to what they termed a “toxic” management style.

Employees warned that continued instability risked affecting the company’s long-term viability and the livelihoods of workers.

The petition claims that decision-making authority had become heavily centralised in the office of the acting managing director, with workers alleging that operational decisions were increasingly referred to one office even when the executive was reportedly unavailable or outside the country on business.

Employees further alleged that several managers had either left the organisation or been sidelined during the current administration, creating uncertainty within departments and weakening internal reporting structures.

“The business organogram structures have been rendered dysfunctional,” part of the petition reads.

Workers also accused the acting managing director of directly involving himself in shop-floor supervision, which some employees claimed had created fear among workers and undermined internal control systems traditionally managed through departmental structures.

The petition further alleges that workers and managers were subjected to verbal reprimands and threats of dismissal during workplace interactions. Employees claimed that some staff members feared questioning management decisions due to concerns over possible retaliation.

Among the concerns raised were allegations relating to recruitment procedures. Workers alleged that recruitment decisions were increasingly influenced outside established human resources processes, although no supporting recruitment records were immediately made available to this publication.

The petition also contains allegations involving the use of company vehicles.

Employees claimed that several operational vehicles had allegedly been assigned to the acting managing director’s office at a time when other departments were reportedly experiencing operational constraints. These allegations could not be independently verified.

Workers additionally raised concerns over what they described as “white tagging”, alleging that imported Chinese products were allegedly fitted with ZENT branding.

Employees claimed this practice created the impression that products were locally manufactured. The allegations have not been independently verified, and no official response had been issued by ZENT at the time of publication.

The petition also alleges that political slogans and references to political connections were introduced into workplace environments, including workshop settings.

Workers claimed this created an atmosphere of intimidation and discouraged employees from raising complaints through internal channels.

The employees ultimately declared a vote of no confidence in the acting managing director and called for intervention by ZESA Holdings leadership.

Separate internal documents reviewed by this publication also raise concerns over procurement procedures involving strategic electrical equipment transactions.

Internal records indicate that ZENT engaged Indian-based company NMR Engineering and Works in transactions involving transformer supplies, including equipment linked to the New Parliament project.

Some internal correspondences questioned whether original equipment manufacturers were bypassed during procurement processes and whether supplied equipment met the required technical specifications. However, Nehanda Radio could not independently verify the claims regarding compliance or procurement irregularities.

The documents further reference business dealings involving Mozambique’s electricity utility, EDM, with some internal communications warning that delays and contractual disputes risked affecting bilateral engagements. No official confirmation was immediately available from either ZENT or EDM regarding the status of those transactions.

Separate complaints reviewed by this publication also allege possible abuse of company resources, including claims involving travel bookings, accommodation expenses and fuel allocations linked to executive travel.

Beyond procurement and financial management concerns, some complaints submitted by employees include allegations of workplace harassment and professional victimisation. Female employees who submitted complaints alleged that reporting channels within the company were ineffective and that some grievances were not adequately addressed.

Documents reviewed by this publication show that some complaints were copied to the Corporate Governance Unit, the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

However, employees who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed they had not received feedback regarding investigations or corrective action.