Staff Reporter

The ZBC Board has threatened to take legal action against its former Chief Executive Officer Adelaide Chikunguru for the protest she made against her dismissal at the National broadcaster.

Chikunguru,  who was dismissed for misappropriating funds, including using funds for personal awards, unauthorized foreign trips, and the purchase of an unlicensed satellite internet service,  denied all the offenses.

She made claims that she was only dismissed because she turned down some inappropriate advances that were made to her by  Information Minister Jenfan Muswere.

In a statement,  the ZBC Board gave Chikunguru 48 hours to make a formal report concerning her claims on social media of unfair dismissal.

“The Board advises Ms. Chikunguru to pursue her claims, if any, through the due process of the law and notes her continued suggestion that her lawyers have been briefed. The Board publicly states that there is no substance in the allegations against the Board and the Corporation. To this end, the Board invites her to execute her threats of resort to law against the Corporation within the next forty-eight (48) hours.

“In the event that she does not do so, the Board reserves the right to approach the High Court for a decree of perpetual silence calling upon her to bring the threatened legal action or forever keep her peace. This decision is necessary to protect the continuing harm to the Corporation’s interests and those of its Stakeholders,” the statement reads.

It further states that  Chikunguru should have used proper legal channels to raise her claims and concerns instead of going on social media.

“The Board makes it categorically clear that at no time did Ms. Chikunguru raise with the Board, as she should have done, what she is now raising in the public domain. Thereafter, the former CEO has resorted to social media to suggest that the charges were trumped up in pursuit of a personal and politicised agenda by certain named individuals.

“Privileged documents of the Corporation have been made public and out of context, to drive a misleading narrative that has caused immeasurable reputational and financial prejudice to the Corporation and its stakeholders. The use of the privileged documents, albeit out of context, is contrary to her contract of employment and the relevant legislation.

“Her social media statements, whilst apparently targeted at specific individuals, have scandalised the Corporation, its Board, and critical Stakeholders. Specifically, the suggestion is that the Board has abdicated its fiduciary duty to the Corporation and is acting at the whim of the Minister and the Board Chairman.

“The suggestion is made further, that the Corporation is unable to meet its obligations to key Stakeholders. Name dropping has been central in this sustained and unmitigated assault on the Board, the Corporation, and its key Stakeholders.”

The Board indicated that it will continue to investigate the offenses that were committed by Chikunguru, that led to her dismissal.

“Neither her resignation nor her media statements will stop or derail the Board from completing its investigation and taking the necessary legal steps to protect the Corporation’s interests and recover any lost value or assets.

“ The Board reserves the right to protect and preserve the integrity of its confidential documents and to protect the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and its valued Stakeholders to the fullest extent permissible at law,” the statement reads.

Chikunguru claims that Muswere made advances to her in 2021, when he was still the  Minister of ICT, and that this is the real reason he wanted her removed from her position when he became Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.