ZIMURA offices sold — members in uproar

ZIMURA members react with outrage after outgoing chair Albert Nyathi confirms the association’s Harare offices have been sold without prior consultation (image source)

The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) has been plunged into yet another moment of uncertainty — a moment many musicians describe as both sorrowful and deeply unsettling — after outgoing chairperson Albert Nyathi confirmed that the organisation’s Harare offices have been sold. For thousands of artists who relied on that building as a symbolic home of their rights and livelihoods, the news has landed like a quiet earthquake. Some members say they found out “through whispers, not leadership,” while others admit they are still struggling to understand how such a monumental decision could be taken without their knowledge. Now, confusion has given way to pointed questions: Why was the sale necessary? Who authorised it? Where did the money go? And, perhaps most painfully, why weren’t the very creators ZIMURA represents consulted at all?

Sale confirmed and defended by outgoing board

Speaking to Southerton Business Times, Mr Nyathi confirmed the transaction, saying, “Yes, the building was sold. Payment was received in full. The board agreed that the current offices were too small and unsuitable for an organisation of ZIMURA’s size.” He explained that the Harare premises, located in a residential neighbourhood, had become limiting for operations. He said the board is now searching for a larger plot of 1,000–2,000 m², adding, “If the new board can secure 3,000 square metres, even better. Bulawayo is the benchmark — that’s the standard we must match.”

Mr Nyathi said the sale was facilitated by Seef Real Estate and insisted the board acted within its legal authority. “Members elect directors to make decisions on their behalf. The board is empowered to transact and appoint professionals as necessary.”

Members furious — demanding clarity and documentation

But the announcement has not been well-received. Several ZIMURA members told Southerton Business Times that they feel excluded from a decision of significant financial and strategic impact. One member asked, “How do you sell national assets without even informing us? This should have gone to an AGM at the very least.” Another said, “We were promised transparency — especially after the executive scandals. Instead, we are hearing about a sale after the money has already changed hands.”

Common questions from members include:

• Why wasn’t prior consultation done?

• Why wasn’t the matter tabled at an AGM or EGM?

• What was the sale price and how will funds be protected?

• Why sell instead of taking a mortgage to upgrade?

• Who is the buyer and what professional advice guided the process?

Incoming board members Derck Mpofu and Gift Amuli acknowledged questions from this publication but had not submitted full comment by the time of going to press.

Context: a turbulent period for ZIMURA

The sale comes at a time when the association is under heightened scrutiny following:

• the halted cover-band tariff, after intervention by the Ministry of Justice;

• ongoing public disputes with ZIMU;

• and the recent conviction of former executive director Polisile Ncube Chimhini, which has fuelled pressure for reforms and stronger oversight.

One senior industry observer said, “ZIMURA cannot afford another trust deficit. Every major decision must now be beyond reproach.”

What the board argues, and what members want

Board position:

Mr Nyathi maintains the board acted in good faith to secure a more functional headquarters that reflects ZIMURA’s growing membership and operational demands. “The priority is better space for artists — proper offices, meeting rooms, internet infrastructure. The old place simply couldn’t cope.”

Members’ demands:

Artists want full disclosure of the sale agreement, valuation reports, the buyer’s identity, and a transparent plan for how the proceeds will be managed. Many argue that consultation is not only good governance — it is essential for rebuilding trust.

An unfolding story

This story is still unfolding, its pages fluttering in the wind like sheet music waiting for the next note. Southerton Business Times will keep chasing the missing pieces — the paperwork, the voices, the truths tucked between boardrooms and back-offices — listening closely for harmony or dissonance from both the outgoing and incoming ZIMURA leaders, the estate agents, and the regulators who hold the tuning fork.

And if you are a ZIMURA member carrying questions, whispers or worries in your heart, let them find their way to us. Your stories, your clues, your lived experiences are the verses that will shape the next chapter. Reach out to our newsroom, and together we will follow the melody of this matter wherever it leads.