Allow Mushayavanhu to do his job: CEOs tell govt

**Oswell Binha, centre, during the release of the Business Confidence Index for third quarter 2023**

Nyashadzashe Ndoro

Zimbabwe’s private sector chief executive officers have urged the government not to interfere with incoming Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, John Mushayavanhu’s work, but to support him.

This comes as President Emmerson Mnangagwa, two weeks ago, appointed Mushayavanhu, the former FBC Holdings Limited Group CEO, as the new governor of the RBZ, replacing John Mangudya, who will be joining the newly established Mutapa Investment Fund as CEO.

Addressing the media in Harare last week, CEO Africa Roundtable chairman, Oswell Binha said the private sector had embraced Mushayavanhu appointment. But he urged the government to allow him to implement his ideas without hindrances.

“I want to speak on behalf of my constituency. We have not had any negative sentiments around that deployment,” Binha said.

“So, if the government is gonna be able to hive off that deployment, I would just request that they allow the gentleman to do his job. I sit here frustrated chairman because we have seen our colleagues in the private sector deployed in government for some time now.”

The chairman said he was worried that certain private sector leaders changed when they joined the government. He mentioned Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and his permanent secretary George Guvamatanga. He also cited Local Government Minister Winston Chitando as one of the individuals who changed after joining government.

He said he was not expecting the same from Mushayavanhu.

“I worry when the guys in the private sector jump to the other side, what then happens?

“My message is that I think the government must support John Mushayavanhu. That deployment, the private sector has embraced and accepted. We hope and trust that he is going to be able to exercise the mandate in the manner he knows how,” he said.