Minister Mhona Criticised For Appointing 81-Year-Old Tshinga Dube To NRZ Board
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona has been criticised for appointing an 81-year-old former freedom fighter, Colonel (Retired) Tshinga Dube, to the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) board.
The company announced the latest appointment by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Felix Mhona, on Friday 20 January 2023.
NRZ stated that Dube, a former Cabinet minister, would hold office for a term that would end on December 6, 2025. NRZ general manager, Ms Respina Ziyanduko, was quoted as saying:
We are really excited as NRZ to have you as one of our board members. Our board is hands-on in terms of ensuring that they keep the organisation running and the management on their toes.
She said NRZ stood to benefit from Dube’s vast experience in Government, in different boards, organisations, and interactions with other international players.
However, political analyst, Rashweat Mukundu told Pindula News that the appointment was testimony that the leadership does not understand what is required to revive the “struggling” parastatal. He told this reporter this Wednesday:
My (Twitter) post was an expression of disappointment over the appointment of an 81-year-old who under normal circumstances must be retired. He was appointed to the board of a struggling state enterprise (NRZ) which obviously needs new thinking, new ideas, of new blood. Zimbabwe has hundreds and hundreds of capable engineers, business managers who can help save the struggling state enterprise. What I see is kleptocracy meant to benefit them from the SOE. I have nothing personal against him (Dube) as a person, but I’m totally against the appointment.
Dube, who holds a Master’s Degree in Electro-Tech from MADI Institute of Technology in Moscow, Russia, said NRZ was critical in the development of the country in the transport and logistics sector.
He expressed gratitude for being included in the parastatal team. The Chronicle quotes him as saying:
Thank you for the introductions. I’m very happy to join the NRZ board and be part of you in developing this company.
I’ve been following what’s happening within the NRZ in the press, internet, and so forth, and I think you have done very well so far.
Dube, a former Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators and Former Political Detainees, was born on June 3, 1941.
