NetOne Suspends Chief Commercial Officer Learnmore Masunda Over Misconduct Allegations

NetOne Building Harare

State-owned mobile telecommunications company NetOne has suspended its Chief Commercial Officer, Learnmore Masunda, without pay, following allegations of misconduct, conflict of interest, regulatory non-compliance, and corporate governance breaches. The suspension comes after an internal investigation reportedly substantiated several allegations against the senior executive.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Masunda has been seeking high-level intervention and recently requested a meeting with Emmerson Mnangagwa to discuss his case. On Wednesday, he reportedly met with Martin Rushwaya.

Masunda was initially placed on forced leave on February 2 to allow an independent investigation into the allegations. Following the completion of the probe, which reportedly substantiated evidence relating to 10 charges, NetOne formally suspended him on Monday pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings.

The investigation was carried out by an independent private firm, DT Guard Security. The probe involved reviewing documents, conducting structured interviews, and assessing compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements. Investigators also analysed corporate governance practices and internal control systems at the telecoms operator.

Masunda’s suspension comes amid reported tensions within the executive leadership at NetOne. The dispute has involved senior management figures, including the company’s chief executive officer, Raphael Mushanawani. Last year, Mushanawani himself faced scrutiny after the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission arrested him in connection with allegations of a US$1.2 million fraud linked to an IT system upgrade involving Sage accounting software.

Authorities alleged that the matter involved the upgrade of a Sage enterprise resource planning system used by the telecommunications company.

Sources say most of the allegations against Masunda were substantiated during the investigation, prompting the company to initiate disciplinary proceedings. The process could potentially lead to further actions, including possible criminal referrals if any offences are established. Other possible outcomes include the recovery of financial losses and the remediation of internal control weaknesses identified during the investigation.

Control remediation refers to the process of identifying and correcting weaknesses within internal systems, including information technology controls, operational procedures, and corporate governance structures. NetOne, one of Zimbabwe’s major mobile network operators, is wholly owned by the government and plays a key role in the country’s telecommunications sector. The disciplinary process is expected to continue in the coming weeks.

NetOne Learnmore Masunda suspension