Minister orders NRZ board to re-advertise general manager’s post

The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) board has been ordered to re-advertise the position of the parastatal’s general manager by newly-appointed transport minister Joram Gumbo, months after it had shortlisted candidate for the post.

Gumbo was assigned to the ministry in President Robert Mugabe’s third reshuffle of the year last month, replacing Obert Mpofu who now heads the economic planning ministry.

“I am going to instruct the board of NRZ to advertise that post so that we can have a substantive general manager,” Gumbo said today on the sidelines of a tour to assess the state of roads in the Matabeleland region.

“I am not aware (that the board had shortlisted five candidates) but what I know is that there is no general manager at and I have instructed them to stop appointing anybody until I give the instructions. I am going to tell them to advertise that post. If they told you that, well then it’s something I am not aware of.”

Gumbo said he had instructed all parastatals not to employ or dismiss any worker without communicating to him.

“This is the reason why they have reinstated workers at Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and other parastatals,” he added.

In August this year, NRZ board chairman Alvord Mabena revealed that the board has finalised the selection of the candidate to fill the post of the parastatal’s general manager and was now awaiting government approval.

The board turned to the Diaspora after all the 40 candidates who had initially applied for the post failed to qualify.

The NRZ general manager’s position has been vacant since August 2013 following the death of Mike Karakadzai in a car accident.

Lewis Mukwada is the acting general manager.

The parastatal has already filled the positions of finance director and that of director of operations.- The Source

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