High Court Reinstates ZIMURA Board Members After Government Dismissal

Excerpt

Zimbabwe’s High Court has temporarily reinstated three ZIMURA board members fired by Government, escalating a governance and legal battle at the country’s main music rights body amid long-running concerns over royalty management, accountability, and institutional control.

By Advent Shoko

Zimbabwe’s High Court has temporarily reinstated three Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) board members dismissed by Government, intensifying a growing legal and governance dispute at the organisation responsible for managing musicians’ royalties.

The ruling comes just weeks after the Government dissolved the entire ZIMURA board in a move that triggered concern across sections of Zimbabwe’s creative industry already grappling with longstanding complaints over royalty distribution and institutional transparency.

In a provisional order issued under case number HCH1742/26, Justice Munangati-Manongwa ruled that the dismissal of Alexio Gwenzi, First Batani, and Evelyn Natsai Moyo be suspended pending determination of the matter. The court order states:

“The execution of the Administrative decision of the 1st Respondent dated 26 March 2026 terminating the Applicants appointments as Board Members of 4th Respondent be and is hereby stayed.” 

The court further ruled that:

“The Applicants be and are hereby permitted to continue exercising their functions as Board Members of 4th Respondent without interference.”

The applicants had challenged the decision by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, arguing that the termination of their appointments should not be implemented before judicial review proceedings are concluded.

The ruling effectively freezes steps already taken to enforce the dismissals. The provisional order reads:

“Any steps already taken to implement the 1st Respondent’s decision be and are hereby stayed pending the confirmation of the final order sought herein.” 

The legal confrontation now places ZIMURA at the centre of a broader debate over governance, accountability, and Government intervention in institutions responsible for managing intellectual property rights.

ZIMURA, which collects and distributes royalties on behalf of musicians and rights holders, has for years faced criticism from some artistes who accuse the organisation of weak transparency and inadequate royalty payments.

Following the court ruling, ZIMURA issued a strongly worded public statement describing the judgment as “an important Court result.” The association said:

“The effect of this important Court result is that Alexio Gwenzi, First Farai Batani and Evelyn Natsai Moyo have been reinstated with immediate effect to continue to run the affairs of ZIMURA until the Court process is finalised.” 

The organisation urged “members, clients, stakeholders, law enforcement agents, and the media to accord full cooperation, support, and professional courtesy to the current Board.”

ZIMURA also sought to reassure musicians that the reinstated leadership remained committed to royalty administration.

“This leadership remains deeply committed to the effective, transparent, and efficient collection and distribution of royalties to the very musicians and rights holders the Association was founded to serve,” the statement said.

But the dispute arrives against deeper tensions inside Zimbabwe’s music industry, where frustrations over delayed or insufficient royalties have periodically fuelled mistrust toward the association.

The boardroom conflict also raises wider governance questions around the extent of ministerial authority over collective management organisations and whether state intervention risks undermining institutional independence.

In its statement, ZIMURA accused unnamed individuals of attempting to destabilise the organisation through misinformation campaigns. It said:

“The Association is aware of false and malicious information being circulated on social media platforms, aimed at sowing confusion, division, and disrepute.” 

The association added:

“There is no better moment than now to unite, rise above petty distractions, and fight for the ZIMURA cause of collecting and distributing meaningful royalties.”

The matter is expected to return to court as Government and the affected parties prepare for a full legal contest over the validity of the dismissals.

For Zimbabwean musicians, however, the dispute extends beyond legal technicalities.

At stake is confidence in an institution central to protecting creative labour in an industry where many artistes already struggle to earn sustainable income from their work.