By Correspondent
Harare Council has suspended without salary Rufaro Marketing CEO Daniel Mutiwadirwa for allegedly refusing to furnish important documents to an investigative committee.
The Chairman of the Board looking into the company’s financials, Obey Shava, said Mutiwadirwa had committed serious misconduct.
“The employer has good cause for believing that you have committed a serious misconduct.
Mutiwadirwa is accused of contravening “Section 4(b) of the Code i.e. S.I. 15 of 2006 by ‘willfully disobeying lawful orders”.
It’s alleged that on 13 January 2023 he was instructed by the Chairman of the Rufaro Marketing Board to issue a notice convening an extra-ordinary general meeting on 18 January.
“Despite the written instruction you have refused, failed and/or neglected to convene that meeting.
“On the same date, 13 January 2023 the Chairman also requested you to furnish him with copies of the lease agreements in respect of all the Rufaro Marketing tenants and the contracts of employment in respect of all its employees by the 16th of January 2023.
“Despite that clear and unequivocal instruction, you refused, failed and or neglected to provide the requested documents and information.
“Mutiwadirwa has since been barred from handling any company business.
Harare Reviving Rufaro Marketing
Harare City Council is working to revive Rufaro Marketing under which it ran over 80 beerhalls across the capital.
Rufaro Marketing closed in 2012 after failing to service a debt of over US$5 million.
“We had over 87 properties on which Rufaro Marketing used to employ a lot of people with a huge complement of staff.
“It used to bring revenue to council, what we called beer levy,” Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said.
“And all these properties, 87 of them in all suburbs of the city, are benefiting, not the residents but individuals for one reason or the other,” he said.
Mafume also instituted a committee to do a follow up on the beer outlets around Harare and a report was presented by Councillor Ian Makone.