My attention was drawn to a public interest story around the hostilities and alleged manoeuvres to devalue the share value of one of Zimbabwe's flagship tourism brands, the Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG).
RTG, whose majority shareholder is the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), has been at the centre of a storm whose damage to the brand and broadly the tourism sector will consequently affect the economy.
It is common cause that doesn't require expert interpretation that the tourism sector, both domestic and international, has been steadily growing amid the difficult economic environment and global recession.
That we have one of the flagship brands of tourism in Zimbabwe recording growth post the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic requires stakeholders to approach tourism sectoral issues devoid of emotions and personal interests.
This is not to suggest that acts of corruption or misgovernance must not be investigated. Far from it.
No right minded citizen or stakeholder can condone acts of corruption, especially where it involves public funds and in the public interest. The law must take its course without fear and favour.
Yet due process must be followed and any investigations of corruption must meet the prudence test of reasonability and justifiability.
This is where the case of RTG and the conflicted board chairperson of the majority shareholder NSSA, Emmanuel Fundira raises a stink.
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Fundira has known interests in the tourism sector and has served at one of RTG's competitor African Sun.
That he is leading a board - which has been subject to a series of controversies - and now presiding over an issue of selling shares of a company he was rivalled to is the height of conflict of interest.
Beyond this obvious conflict of interest - whose caveat has been that he recuses himself from issues relating to RTG, itself an impractical proposition, the manner in which the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has engaged on the matter suggests an external hand and person of interest driving the matter.
Without dwelling much on matters already determined by the courts and still pending and therefore sensitive, the accusations against RTG and what is being investigated by ZACC at this stage seem unrelated.
Even worse, leaked conversations that have been verified by credible media suggesting the politicisation of the matter and possible coalescing of Fundira and former RTG employees raise questions on the intended objective of dragging the reputation of RTG in the mud.
For a media practitioner and concerned citizen like me, a matter of such nature becomes of public interest, which government and the public body must be seen to be protecting public assets.
How can a conduit of public funds, NSSA, with a tainted record of proven misnomers front the depreciation of shares in a company they purport to want to dispose of and possibly get a return on years of investment of public funds?
What is the motive to sensationalise investigations of allegations of corruption, at times in defiance of court orders serve NSSA's interest, especially at a time that shares are being disposed of?
How practical is it for the NSSA chairperson to recuse himself from this matter but remain chair on all other matters, with direct contact and therefore influence on the other board members?
What has been the role of the government in ensuring that ultimately in these hostilities and in protecting brands that ultimately impact on the market stability, stock exchange and the economy as a whole?
One hopes that whatever the intricacies of the matter, which at this stage I am not interested to pursue, the tourism sector is protected and can thrive.
My story is in defense of the tourism sector and I will stick to it.
*Nigel Nyamutumbu is a Harare based media development practitioner who can be contacted on njnya2@gmail.com or +263772501557. He writes in his personal capacity
