A red flag has been raised over the appointment of the acting Zimra Commissioner General Morris Mpofu amid reports that the appointment is a blow to building of strong institutions.
Mpofu was appointed acting Zimra boss despite having been fired from the state-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) in 2019.
The ZCDC board said at the material time, they had to relieve seven executives including the then Chief Executive Officer Mpofu ” to rebuild public and market confidence following reports of rampant corruption and abuse of office.”
Mpofu was later cleared of the charges, however, analysts believe that when building strong institutions such cases should be taken into consideration.
The board dismissed at least 7 top executive members.
Mpofu will start his duties at the tax regulator effective 1 February.
“In the same breath ,on behalf of the Board, I announce the appointment of Board member Dr.Morris B Mpofu as Acting Commissioner General with effect from 1 January 2022 until 30 April 2022 with the hope that within that period the recruitment process for the substantive Commissioner general would have been finalized,Dr Mpofu appointment in terms of section 17 (4) (b) of the public entities cooperate governance act Act (Chapter 10:31)” reads part of the letter.
In 2019 residents in Marange called for Government to scrap the activities of ZCDC in Mutare saying the company which was being led by Mpofu wasn’t serving its purpose.
In an interview with Zim Morning Post Blessing Ncube said that Mpofu appointment is a disgrace.
” The appointee should have appointed someone with integrity, the guy has a tainted history and we cannot have him as the Commissioner,” Ncube said.
