James Mushore

Initial career

Prior to joining NMB, he had worked Coopers & Lybrand, two of those in London and twelve years in Zimbabwe and Zambia where he was partner in charge of the Corporate Finance practice. During the initial stages of Joseph's career, he had worked at NMB as the Deputy Managing Director where he headed Corporate Finance, Information Technology, and Internal Audit and Marketing departments until February 2004.^[1] James is a former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe and has served on the Boards of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.^[1]

Criminal Charges

Mushore at one point left Zimbabwe in a huff after investigations had opened in which he was being accused of having engaged in illegal foreign currency deals. Julius Makoni, William Nyemba were the other two who were also being charged with the same offence and just like Mushore, they also went to the United Kingdom^[2] Although it was widely publicised that Mushore had fled the country, Mushore has constantly denied the accusations. In one press interview Mushore pointed out that

I was in London at the time and did not flee the country," he said. "What is being written about me is wrong and not factual. The warrant was issued 10 days after I had left the country and was in London^[3]

Charges leveled against Mushore, Nyemba and Makoni were part of an exercise carried out by Gideon Gono to uncover illegal foreign currency deals in the banking sector

Reappointment to NMB

Mushore rejoined NMB on April 1, 2010 after he had been reappointed as the Chief Executive Officer of NMB.

Resignation from NMB

In October 2014 NMB announced that James Mushore would step down as CEO and Director of NMBZ Holdings and NMB Bank due to ill health. Mushore had served as the Group CEO since he had re-joined NMBZ Holdings in 2010. He is a founder member and former Deputy Managing Director of NMB Bank where he headed Corporate Finance, Information Technology and Internal Audit and Marketing departments until February 2004. Benefit Washaya too over as Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 November 2014.

Appointment as Harare Town Clerk

In 2015, the Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi was relieved of duties for retirement.

On 24 March 2016, Mushore was appointed Harare Town Clerk by Harare City Council and the Mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni. Government, through Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere rescinded the appointment the same day.^[4]. Central government's position was that council had flouted procedures of appointing a town clerk as outlined in the Urban Councils Act and the Local Government Board. Mushore however continued to report for duty despite orders from the ministry. The Mayor was later suspended on 20 April 2016 for appointing Mushore non-procedurally.

James Mushore challenged the dismissal in the courts. City Council refused a Ministry directive to re-advertise post. Saviour Kasukuwere spoke to the Acting Town Clerk, Josephine Ncube and Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni. The Mayor said our ‘hands are tied’ as the matter is before the courts. There were four matters surrounding this case before the courts. One being Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) suing Saviour Kasukuwere for abusing the Urban Councils Act. ^[5]

References