The board of state-owned telecommunications firm NetOne has officially terminated the contract of Group Chief Executive Officer Raphael Mushanawani, ending his tenure months before its scheduled expiration.
Key Highlights
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Contract Termination: The NetOne Board formally ended Raphael Mushanawani’s contract, bringing a sudden close to his leadership tenure prior to its original end date.
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Legal and Corruption Charges: Mushanawani was previously arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) over alleged fraud and abuse of duty involving a $1.2 million Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) procurement deal.
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Preceding Administrative Leave: Before his final dismissal, the chief executive had been placed on compulsory leave by the board amidst escalating commercial and internal political tensions.
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Political Dynamics: The developments point to broader political friction and power dynamics influencing executive management within key state enterprises.
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Pattern of Executive Instability: This termination reflects an ongoing trend of high executive turnover, frequent suspensions, and legal disputes within NetOne and other state-controlled entities.
Timeline of Events
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October 2025: Raphael Mushanawani is arrested by ZACC on fraud and abuse of office charges relating to a $1.2 million ERP system project. He spends three weeks in custody.
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November 2025: Mushanawani is removed from remand regarding the fraud charges.
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July 13, 2026: The NetOne Board places Mushanawani on administrative leave as internal and political pressures build.
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August 2026: NetOne formally terminates Mushanawani’s contract ahead of its scheduled September 2026 expiry date.
