ZIMURA property disposal sparks internal board dispute

In a notice dated 12 January 2026, ZIMURA said it was responding to what it described as misinformation circulating on social media and in sections of the press regarding the sale of its properties. The association stated that it did not own an entire building in Avondale, but rather two residential flats within a larger property.

According to ZIMURA, the flats had become unsuitable for its operations due to dilapidated conditions and occupational health risks. The association said staff were working in makeshift spaces, including a kitchen area, and that the premises no longer met operational requirements.

ZIMURA said the decision to dispose of the flats was taken in line with Article 41 of its Memorandum and Articles of Association, which it says grants the board authority to make decisions in the association’s interests without requiring approval from members between annual general meetings (AGMs). It added that a board resolution established a committee to oversee the disposal, with the stated aim of acquiring a standalone commercial property to serve as a new head office.

The association said the transaction was formally reported to members at the AGM held on 22 October 2025, and that the proceeds remain under ZIMURA’s ownership and are being reinvested into its future operations. It also argued that legal proceedings have been instituted against individuals alleged to be disseminating defamatory information, and that the Zimbabwe Republic Police are investigating the matter.

However, on 13 January, three ZIMURA board members, Dereck Mpofu, Joseph Garakara and Gift Amuli, issued a joint statement disassociating themselves from the 12 January 2026 notice, describing it as “unauthorised”.

The board members said that, by resolution, all official communication falls under the Communications, PR and Strategy Committee, which they say did not approve the statement. Mpofu chairs the committee, with Garakara as deputy. They called for an investigation into the use of ZIMURA’s letterhead and a full audit of the association’s communication platforms to establish responsibility for issuing the notice.

The statement also raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest related to the sale of the Avondale flats. The board members said questions from the membership regarding whether a sitting board member was involved in the transaction through an estate agency where they are employed remain unanswered.

While acknowledging that ZIMURA is a private association, the board members rejected what they characterised as claims that it is not accountable to external oversight. They said transparency and accountability remain obligations, and criticised what they described as the use of legal threats to intimidate stakeholders and the media.

“We categorically reject the premise that ZIMURA does not answer to anyone,” the statement said, adding that investigative journalism should be encouraged as part of accountability.

The board members said they were elected to promote professional transparency and said they would not support practices they believe undermine stakeholder confidence. The dispute highlights internal divisions within ZIMURA as questions continue over governance, communication processes and the disposal of association assets.