Government Dissolves ZIMURA Board Over Royalty Chaos and Financial Opacity

HARARE — In a landmark intervention for the creative industry, the Government of Zimbabwe has officially dissolved the board of the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA). The dramatic move follows months of escalating tensions, allegations of financial mismanagement, and a chorus of complaints from the nation’s most prominent artists.

The board, which was chaired by Alexio Gwenzi, was disbanded by the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, to restore institutional integrity at the body responsible for collecting and distributing royalties to composers and publishers.

Acting ZIMURA director Henry Makombe confirmed the dissolution today, April 9, 2026, noting that while the board is gone, the secretariat remains functional to prevent a total collapse of royalty processing.

“We continue operating as the Secretariat, awaiting for the Interim Administrator to be appointed by the Ministry and ultimately the establishment of a new board,” Makombe told The Herald.

The collapse of the board comes as no surprise to industry insiders. For weeks, legendary sungura musician Alick Macheso led a public campaign against the association, describing it as an entity in total "turmoil."

"Musicians do not make noise without cause," Macheso warned in March. "This association does not belong to the board—it belongs to every member."

The core of the dispute lies in the royalty distribution system, which has left many artists impoverished. While ZIMURA reported distributing US$95,000 to over 3,500 members last year, the payouts were disturbingly uneven.

• Top Tier: A handful of artists received over US$2,000.

• The Reality: Many received as little as US$3 to US$5.

• Case Study: Hitmaker Charles Ayibeki revealed he was paid a paltry US$5.60 for a chart-topping song.

“An artiste is invited from as far as Bulawayo to collect royalties that do not even cover their bus fare,” Macheso lamented, echoing a sentiment shared by hundreds of struggling creators.

The board’s position became untenable following a series of governance failures. In January 2026, a controversial attempt to sell two ZIMURA flats in Avondale was blocked only after a fierce public outcry.

Furthermore, the organization never fully recovered from the June 2025 fraud conviction of long-serving executive director Polisile Ncube-Chimhini. Her departure left a power vacuum that was quickly filled by internal bickering and a lack of transparency. While former vice-chairperson First Farai Batani previously defended the system, claiming some artists simply lacked airplay, the Government’s move suggests that the flaws are systemic rather than anecdotal.

The Ministry is expected to announce an interim administrator within the coming days to oversee a forensic audit and pave the way for a more accountable leadership structure.

ZIMURA board dissolved