NEPOTISM IN THE AIRWAVES: PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA APPOINTS NIECE AS ZBC BOARD CHAIR
In a move that has stoked the fires of public discontent, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed his niece, Helliate Rushwaya, as the new chairperson of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) board. This appointment adds another chapter to the growing narrative of nepotism and cronyism within Mnangagwa’s administration, a government increasingly characterized by familial ties and loyalty over merit.
Helliate Rushwaya steps into the role amidst a backdrop of controversy surrounding her family. The Rushwayas are no strangers to the limelight, with Martin Rushwaya, serving as the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, and Henrietta Rushwaya, a businesswoman with a history of dubious dealings, both related to President Mnangagwa. This pattern of familial appointments has sparked widespread alarm and uproar, with critics accusing the government of favoring patronage and ethnic affiliations over transparency and competency.
The announcement of the new ZBC board, made through a statement by Acting Permanent Secretary for Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Jonathan Gandari, came at a turbulent time for the broadcaster. The board, also comprising Advocate Lewis Uriri, Chipo Nheta, Precious Charandura, Charles Munganasa, Dr. Henry Mukono, and Dr. Nanette Silukhuni (not Naneti Silikuni as misstated in the Ministry of Information statement), follows the dismissal of the previous board led by Dr. Josaya Tai.
The former board, which included Tai, Thomas Bvuma, Tsitsi Dangarembizi, Heliate Rushwaya, Dorothy Mabika, Devnanda Popatla, Reverend Thompson Dube, and Brian Mutangandebvu, was ousted over a series of performance, oversight, and corporate governance failures at ZBC. This included the inflammatory and tribally divisive remarks by television presenters Farai Juliet Magada and Victoria Manase, which ignited public fury.
The controversy surrounding the presenters stemmed from their propagation of colonial and tribal stereotypes, erroneously claiming that 19th-century Ndebele State King Lobengula Khumalo sold the country for sugar to imperial Britain. This misguided portrayal ignores Lobengula’s historical role in anti-colonial resistance, including his leadership in the legendary Last Stand, also known as the Shangani or Wilson Patrol, on December 4, 1893. Their remarks reflect a broader issue within Zimbabwean media: a longstanding diet of propaganda and misinformation, painting a skewed picture of the country’s colonial history.
In response to these incidents, the Ministry of Information has called for media houses and journalists to be more informed and sensitive to public sentiments, eschewing falsehoods and stereotypes in their reporting. Gandari emphasized the importance of refraining from fictitious stories and commentary that divides the nation. He highlighted the necessity for media entities to adhere to the sacrosanct principles of journalism, including factual accuracy and truthfulness, to foster national cohesion.
Helliate Rushwaya’s appointment, therefore, is not just a change in personnel but symbolizes a deeper challenge facing Zimbabwe’s broadcasting landscape. The task ahead for Rushwaya and her board is formidable: to restore credibility to a broadcaster marred by past failures and to navigate the complex interplay of politics, media responsibility, and public trust in an era where the lines between truth and propaganda are increasingly blurred.
As Zimbabwe grapples with these issues, the eyes of the nation, and indeed the international community, will be keenly watching the ZBC under its new leadership. The hope is that under Rushwaya’s stewardship, the ZBC will rise to the occasion, promoting a more informed, cohesive, and transparent media environment. However, as long as appointments such as these are perceived as products of nepotism, the road to such ideals remains steep and fraught with skepticism.
