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Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya appears to be losing ground following her suspension from the helm of her organisation.
She is being accused of putting the name of the organisation into disrepute following her arrest on Monday at RGM International Airport while allegedly trying to smuggle 6kg of gold to Dubai.
The ZMF management board convened a meeting in Gweru, Thursday and unanimously decided to relieve her of the post.
ZMF national chairperson Makumba Njenje announced that the former Zifa boss will be immediately replaced by Marufu Sithole in acting capacity.
Rushwaya’s takeover of the ZMF was not without controversy. She had to fight off several court cases which began in 2018 after she muscled her way into power.
She was elected ZMF president on June 14, 2018 but did not enjoy her reign as her election was immediately challenged by the Zvishavane-Mberengwa Miners’ Association (ZMMA).
The challenge resulted in her being dethroned after the High Court declared the results and proceedings of the elections which brought her to the helm null and void.
The group succesfully argued that Rushwaya assumed leadership through unorthodox means.
ZMMA approached the court and won a provisional order barring the holding of the elections, but ZMF chief executive officer Wellington Takavarasha opposed the matter on behalf of the organisation.
This resulted in the elections going ahead, eventually leaving her at the helm of the ZMF.
However, Justice Nokuthula Moyo sitting on the Bulawayo High Court bench, ruled that Takavarasha was not empowered to do so by the federation’s constitution and rendered the application duly unopposed.
ZMF was formed in 2003, mainly to champion the interests of small-scale and artisanal miners. Nhau/Indaba
