Zimbabwe: ZTA in Crisis As Senior Staff Purged and Governance Storm Deepens

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is said to have retrenched several senior managers over the past two weeks in a move that has raised concerns among employees about internal procedures and governance at the state tourism body.

An employee affected by the retrenchments, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals said three senior directors and about a dozen heads of departments and managers had been laid off.

"The retrenchments started with directors and were later extended to heads and managers," the source said adding that the letters were signed by the acting chief executive William Stima.

The job cuts come amid existing labour challenges at the authority.

Staff have reportedly faced delays in salary payments during the year with no salary adjustments and no annual bonuses paid as the year draws to a close.

The employee also raised concerns about procurement and governance practices particularly relating to contracts linked to the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo held in Mutare in September 2025.

"There are concerns among staff regarding how some contracts were awarded," the source said alleging that some procurement processes may not have fully complied with corporate governance procedures.

Further concerns were raised about the operation of the ZTA procurement unit, the administration of the Zimbabwe Tourism Fund and proposed amendments to the Tourism Act developments that the source said had heightened anxiety among staff over transparency and accountability.

The employee also alleged that some staff felt intimidated in the course of their duties, with claims that politically connected names were invoked by senior figures.

Efforts to get a comment from William Stima the acting ZTA chief executive office were unsuccessful as his mobile phone went unanswered.

Recently, Stima accidentally posted a message that was intended for Tourism and Hospitality Industry ministry permanent secretary Takaruza Munyenyiwa on his WhatsApp status.

The message exposed ongoing senior employee purges at the authority revealing further removals of senior staff at ZTA.

The purges have created an internal storm of controversy amid complaints that some people were now being targeted for personal vendettas.

The authority is understood to have engaged legal practitioners in an effort to reach an amicable retrenchment and separation with the affected staff.

ZTA is a statutory body mandated to market Zimbabwe as a tourist destination and coordinate tourism development.

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