NSSA APPOINTMENT CHAOS EXPOSES ZANU PF POWER GAMES AND CORRUPTION

The fight for the top job at the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) is showing how deep corruption and greed have become in Zimbabwe. NSSA, a fund worth US$1.2 billion, is supposed to protect the money of pensioners. But instead of working for the people, the managers, board members and politicians are fighting to control it for their own benefit.

The NSSA general manager job is very powerful. The person who gets this job runs everything—money, staff, projects, and investments. Since July 2022, NSSA has had no permanent general manager after Arthur Manase was suspended for corruption. He later left in 2023 facing 30 charges of abusing his office.

Since then, Dr Charles Shava has been acting as the general manager. Last year, interviews were done by a recruitment company to choose a new boss. Some people passed, others failed, but there were many reports of cheating, favouritism and interference. Some names were pushed forward, others were removed without reason.

One name that came out on top was Gilfern Moyo. Another was Tendai Kapumha. But the NSSA board is divided. The chairman, Emmanuel Fundira, wants Moyo. But another official, Allen Choruma, is pushing for Kapumha.

Sources say Fundira wants someone who will agree to bring back a failed and suspicious US$10 million deal with a company called TTCS. TTCS was paid before to deliver a software system, but failed badly. Now, Fundira wants to give them another chance, starting with US$1.8 million in advance. This has raised serious corruption concerns.

At the same time, Shava was quietly approved by government leaders. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Minister Edgar Moyo, and top official Simon Masanga all agreed he should be appointed. His appointment letter was written on 1 March 2025. But up to now, Fundira has refused to make the appointment official.

Instead, Shava is now being attacked in newspapers like The Herald. Insiders say Fundira and his friends are the ones behind these media attacks. First, they said Shava had a court case about giving NSSA doctors ZW$12 million in allowances without permission. But that case didn’t hold much weight.

Then, they leaked details of Shava’s salary package to the public. The leaked details said Shava would earn US$15,730 a month, get bonuses, allowances, holidays, a DStv package, bodyguards, domestic workers, and even a loan for a car. The goal was to make the public angry and say he was being paid too much while pensioners get just US$60 per month.

But the truth is, those who are fighting Shava want to block him so they can give the job to their friends—people who will let them loot NSSA’s funds. That is why they are using fake stories and leaks to stop him.

Since 2015, NSSA has changed its leaders many times. There is no stability. Every new boss is removed or forced out. This has made it hard to protect pensioners’ money. The NSSA leadership crisis shows why Zimbabwe needs real change.

This fight is not just about one job. It is about the bigger picture: a country where leaders don’t serve the people, but only themselves. NSSA should be working for pensioners, but now it’s a battleground for ZANU PF-connected elites who see public money as their personal bank.

Until we fix this broken system, nothing will change. The rich will keep getting richer, and the poor will keep suffering. Pensioners who worked hard their whole lives now live in poverty. Their future is being stolen in broad daylight.

Zimbabwe needs honest leaders, not greedy ones. The NSSA story is just another example of how deep corruption has gone in this country. We must expose it and fight back.