Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Mr Patrick Devenish 
Business Reporter
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development yesterday grilled the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) directors over the delayed appointment of a substantive chief executive officer.
During the hearing, TIMB chairman Patrick Devenish, accompanied by board member Mr Engelbert Rugeje, said the board fulfilled its mandate after selecting and recommending two candidates.
However, he said the parent ministry had the final say regarding the recommended candidates.
Mr Emmanuel Matsvaire has been the Acting CEO since September 2022 after replacing Meanwell Gudu.
Mr Devenish explained that the board’s authority, in this regard, ended upon the submission of its recommended candidates.
“We have done our work in terms of identifying the correct organisations to help us recruit these people and we are in the final stages of doing this for the third time,” he said.
Mr Devenish suggested that the Government’s focus on boosting the tobacco industry, particularly through value addition, and the emerging trends in the global tobacco market required “a very special person”, which might explain why the parent ministry had not approved the previously recommended candidates.
“The search for that individual has been a vexing one,” said Mr Devenish.
“I think that is why the candidates we have recommended have not been accepted by our leadership.”
In response to a question from committee chairman Felix Maburutse, Member of Parliament for Chivi South, regarding the board’s opinion on the Acting CEO, Mr Devenish said he had performed exceptionally well.
“He is technically very sound,” said Mr Devenish. “He has the knowledge of the industry. His network, most importantly, is growing. He has done a good job and he has impressed the board.”
Mr Rugeje echoed similar sentiments, affirming that Mr Matsvaire had performed commendably.
He noted the exponential growth of the tobacco sector over the past three years as evidence of TIMB’s success under the Acting CEO’s leadership.
Mr Rugeje explained that the “leadership vacuum” had created significant challenges for TIMB, and the board’s current difficulties were largely attributable to the delayed appointment of a permanent CEO.
“We thought you as a committee have oversight of our industry, you could also be of immense assistance in solving this issue of the CEO,” said Mr Rugeje. “Why am I saying that? There is a lot of toxicity at TIMB.
“The situation is not as rosy as some of you would want it to be. There are a lot of problems there.
“Some of the issues that are being raised here are as a result of the absence of a substantive CEO.
“If we have a substantive CEO tomorrow, all these problems will fall away,” Mr Rugeje added.
“If we don’t resolve this issue of the CEO quickly, the elephant in the room will always be there,” said Rugeje.
The committee also questioned Mr Devenish’s involvement in TIMB’s “day-to-day” management, given his non-executive role and pending legal cases.
The TIMB chairman responded saying that his bail conditions permitted his duties and denied interfering in TIMB’s daily operations.
He is currently on bail facing two charges of criminal abuse of office.
The committee was briefed on the 2025 tobacco season’s readiness, which begins today.
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