ZIMURA Election Tainted by Allegations of Rigging and Cronyism

Zimbabwe’s ZIMURA board elections face allegations of rigging, exclusion, and cronyism under chair Albert Nyathi, as musicians demand transparency, audits, and independent oversight ahead of the October 22 AGM (image source)

HARARE — As the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) prepares for its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 22 October 2025, controversy is mounting over alleged manipulation of the board election process. Musicians and industry watchdogs claim the vote has been engineered to entrench the current leadership under board chair Albert Nyathi, rather than reflect genuine representation among artists.

Sources within ZIMURA allege that the slate of candidates — including Dereck Mpofu, Victor Kunonga, Willis Wattafi, Nathaniel Ncube, and Alexio “Goodchild” Gwenzi — is largely aligned with Nyathi’s inner circle. Critics note that these individuals previously supported contentious board decisions, such as the unpopular US$150 cover-band tariff introduced without adequate consultation.

“These are the same faces who backed the board when it imposed a $150 fee on cover bands,” charged ZIMU president Edith Katiji. “Now they’re being rewarded with board nominations.”

Nyathi himself publicly endorsed Gwenzi’s re-election bid on 15 October, praising him as a “hard-worker” and “doer” who had “brought tangible progress” to ZIMURA — remarks that have fueled accusations of undue influence and a predetermined outcome.

Multiple industry insiders say respected musicians who submitted nomination paperwork — among them vocalist Tererai Mugwadi — were excluded from the official candidate list without explanation.

“I handed in my papers on time,” Mugwadi said. “But I’ve received no confirmation, no communication. It’s clear they don’t want independent voices on that board.”

The omission of open-contest candidates not only contravenes ZIMURA’s own Articles of Association but also raises serious doubts about whether the vetting process was applied fairly.

Analysts argue that the episode reflects deeper governance issues within ZIMURA. The nomination process has been widely condemned for its lack of transparency, unclear timelines, and arbitrary decision-making.

“We’re seeing the same governance failures that plagued the audit — lack of transparency, disregard for procedure, and silencing of dissent,” said arts critic Imbuwa.

These concerns echo the fallout from ZIMURA’s 2024 audit, which many musicians said glossed over key irregularities, including the fraud conviction of former executive Polisile Ncube-Chimhini. In that light, the current election dispute is being viewed as part of a broader crisis of governance rather than an isolated scandal.

The controversy risks deepening divisions in Zimbabwe’s already fragile music industry. Persistent issues — including delayed royalty payments, alleged intimidation of whistle-blowers, and opaque leadership practices — have eroded trust among musicians.

“I’ve stopped expecting anything from ZIMURA,” said one veteran artist. “They’ve turned our rights into a private club.”

As the AGM looms, pressure is growing on regulatory authorities such as the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and the Companies and Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) to intervene. Artists are calling for a forensic audit of the nomination process and the establishment of an independent electoral commission to oversee future ZIMURA elections.

Without such reforms, the upcoming AGM may serve not as a renewal of confidence, but as another blow to Zimbabwe’s creative rights ecosystem — one already strained by mismanagement, mistrust, and a growing exodus of disillusioned artists.