In a statement yesterday, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate, Ambassador Grace Mutandiro, said the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) board has been dissolved with immediate effect due to the “wayward conduct of some members of the board”.
Said Mutandiro:
The Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Honourable O.C.Z Muchinguri-Kashiri, has, in terms of Section 6 of the 12th schedule of the Parks and Wildlife Amendment Act Number 19 of 2001, terminated the term of office of the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Board with immediate effect.
The wayward conduct of some members of the board, which was characterised by a departure from playing an advisory role to that of usurping executive powers, ran counter to the good corporate governance principles that Government has adopted and is upholding.
Apart from playing a key role in the economy, the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority is also the custodian of Zimbabwe’s natural resources and it, therefore, behoves on the minister to ensure that at all times competent individuals with the requisite probity constitute its Board.
The board was chaired by Mr Tichafa Mundangepfupfu, who was deputised by Mrs Idah Mupamhanga. Other board members included Messrs Cephas Mudenda, Tafadzwa Mundoga, Neville Mutsvangwa, Dr Hesphina Rukato and Ms Dorothy Mabika. Mr Fulton Upenyu Mangwanya, who was appointed the new Zimpark’s director-general in August last year, was an ex-officio member of the board. A recent report from the Auditor-General’s Office indicated that the board members were allegedly abusing their authority to loan themselves funds, including using the Authority’s assets for personal use without Government approval.
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