Fundira Demands Legal Justification After Early NSSA Dismissal
Former National Social Security Authority (NSSA) board chairman Emmanuel Fundira has challenged his abrupt removal from office, claiming the dismissal was premature and lacked any lawful foundation.
The entire NSSA board was dissolved on June 23, 2025—almost three years before the expiry of its mandate in May 2028.
In a letter to Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Edgar Moyo, Fundira questioned the legality of the decision, which the government justified as a move “to lay a new foundation for NSSA.”
Fundira contends that the decision violated the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act, specifically Section 16, which clearly outlines the lawful grounds for removing members of public boards.
These include misconduct, loss of qualifications, disqualification from office, consistent absenteeism, or failure to meet agreed performance targets.
He argued that the dismissal letter failed to cite any relevant provisions of the NSSA Act or the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act, describing the decision as vague, non-compliant, and procedurally flawed.
Fundira further noted that the Act requires affected board members to receive at least seven days’ written notice, which he says was not observed.
The law also sets out a redress mechanism: if a board member disputes their dismissal, the Head of Unit may trigger a review process—first through the minister and, if unresolved, escalated to Cabinet with the President’s approval.
Importantly, it does not bar the affected party from seeking legal remedies in court for unfair or unlawful dismissal.
According to a report by Pindula, Fundira has now lodged a formal request for a comprehensive review of the board’s dissolution.
He maintains that failure to adhere to legal procedures not only infringes on individual rights, but risks eroding corporate governance standards across Zimbabwe’s public institutions.
Observers say the outcome of Fundira’s challenge could set a significant precedent for how public board dismissals are handled and may shape future executive accountability within state-run entities.
