Ministry dissolves Allied Timbers, Zimparks boards

via Ministry dissolves Allied Timbers, Zimparks boards January 2, 2014 NewsDay by Obey Manayiti

THE Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate has reportedly dissolved boards of two parastatals falling under its ambit — namely Allied Timbers and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority — because their terms had expired.

Allied Timber’s board comprises chairman Livingstone Gwata, Lovemore Mandimika (vice chair), Rungano Mbire, Vena Mupawose and lawyer Addington Chinake, who reportedly resigned earlier, while chief executive officer Joseph Kanyekanye and finance director Peter Mhini sit on the board as executive directors.

Although strenuous efforts to get comment from Environment minister Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday were fruitless as he was unreachable, it is understood that the two boards had overstayed.

A senior government official who refused to be named confirmed the development, adding that the ministry was expected to make a formal announcement next week.

“Yes, it’s true, but the minister (Kasukuwere) will call for a Press conference later next week,” the official said.

Allied Timbers is wholly-owned by the government and is one of the country’s major timber producers with plantations in Manicaland, Midlands and Matabeleland provinces.

It has five operational companies — namely Allied Timbers Zimbabwe, Allied Timbers International, Allied Timbers Saligna, Altim City Zimbabwe and Altim City Botswana.

The official also said the tenure of all members on the Zimparks board led by George Pangeti had expired hence the need to reappoint some of them or bring in new blood altogether to revitalise the institution.

Other members of the Zimparks board are Jerry Gotora, Ngoni Chinogwenya (vice chair), Rose Mkogo, Ambrose Made, Gilbert Pwiti, Edward Samuriwo and Alvin Ncube.
Some members of both boards had served for nearly 12 years as their tenures had been repeatedly extended against good corporate governance.

The purge at Allied Timbers board follows hard on the heels of the dissolution of the entire Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation board by Media, Information and Broadcasting Services minister Jonathan Moyo on allegations of failing to turn around the broadcaster and failing to pay its employees over the past seven months.

Mines minister Walter Chidhakwa has also dissolved the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe and Marange Resources boards in a move widely viewed as a way of restoring order in the mining sector.

According to sources privy to the Allied Timbers developments, there have been reports of bad corporate governance in the giant timber producing company and Kasukuwere wanted to clean up the alleged mess.