GOVERNMENT critic Gift Mugano has been booted out of the ZimTrade board with immediate effect. Foreign Affairs ministry secretary James Manzou, however, did not say why the economist has been removed.
“I wish to inform you that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Frederick Shava) has terminated your membership from the ZimTrade Board in terms of Article 10 of the Constitution of ZimTrade as read with section 16 of the Public Entities and Corporate Governance Act [Chapter 10:31],” Manzou said in a letter addressed to Mugano dated October 4.
“The termination is with immediate effect.” ZimTrade is Zimbabwe’s national trade development and promotion body.
It was established in 1991 as a unique joint venture partnership between the private sector and government.
In 2020, Mugano stepped down as Zisco acting board chairperson saying he was being accused of being too critical of the government.
A fierce government critic especially on economic policies, Mugano yesterday said his dismissal was regrettable.
“The timing and coming in of the letter is on the basis that the government of Zimbabwe is sending a signal to colleagues who would want to disagree with them,” he said.
“I feel sorry for ZimTrade and the nation at large. You would not want to take (out) the best brains because you don’t agree on political views.”