Faith Zaba

ZIMBABWE Revenue Authority (Zimra) Commissioner-General Gershom Pasi has been reduced to a lame duck after the Finance ministry stripped him of all powers in a move likely to widen the rift between President Robert Mugabe and Finance minister Tendai Biti.
Mugabe and Biti are deeply divided over Pasi’s fate after his contract expired in October 2011. Pasi should now vacate his office at the end of this month unless the board decides otherwise.

Pasi was among three people interviewed for the coveted post out of 53 applicants on December 14 2011 and the Zimbabwe Independent is reliably informed that he scored high.

However, alleged political machinations not to re-appoint Pasi are at play and there is talk of re-advertising the post and conducting fresh interviews.
The short-listing and interviews were conducted by CV People Human Resources Consultants together with three  board committee members.

A letter written to Pasi by acting secretary for finance Pfungwa Kunaka, dated January 18 2012 reads: “Considering (the) status of your employment contract which has expired, it is inappropriate that in any of your correspondence on Zimra matters, you continue to sign off as the commissioner-general. In any event, the above has legal implications. I, therefore, advise that for purposes of correspondence and business transactions, it is most appropriate that these be signed on behalf of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority by Zimra staff. Please also observe that the above applies with respect to travel outside the country. The ministry is not in a position to overlook the status of the employment contract.”

The letter was copied to Biti, secretary for finance Willard Manungo and Zimra board chairperson Sternford Moyo.

Moyo told the Independent on Wednesday that matters of employees’ contracts were confidential and could not be discussed with the media without Pasi’s consent and board approval.

“As I indicated that you know contracts are generally treated as confidential and to discuss the nature of anyone’s contract will be a violation of the employee’s rights and a violation of confidentiality,” Moyo said.

Pasi declined to comment and referred all questions to the Zimra corporate communications team.

“I cannot comment on that issue. Please talk to the corporate communications team,” said Pasi, who has been at the helm of Zimra since 2001 after the amalgamation of the old Department of Taxes and the Department of Customs and Excise.  

Biti told the Independent a fortnight ago that Pasi’s contract had expired and “after a contract expires, you call for an interview and the best man gets the job”.
Senior government sources said Mugabe wanted Pasi to remain Zimra boss while Biti was opposed to his re-appointment. The sources said the board was also divided over the matter.

According to the Revenue Act, the appointment of the commissioner-general should be done by the board and it is only when the person is not a Zimbabwean citizen or is not resident in Zimbabwe that the minister has to approve the appointment.

Section 19 (1) states: “The Board shall appoint, on such terms and conditions as the board may fix, a person to be commissioner-general of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.”

Section 19(2) states: “Without the authority of the minister, no person shall be appointed as commissioner-general and no person shall qualify to hold office as commissioner-general if he is not a citizen of Zimbabwe or ordinarily resident in Zimbabwe.”

Relations between Biti and Pasi deteriorated after the latter reportedly refused to take orders from the treasury boss.

According to the Revenue Act, the commissioner-general reports to the board, although the minister may from time to time direct the board to furnish him with such information and statistics as the minister may require in regard to revenues, the activities, funds and property of the authority.

The Act also stipulates that the minister may give the board directions on matters of policy, which the authority is to observe in the exercise of functions the minister considers being requisite in the national interest.

Section 19 (4) states: “The commissioner-general shall be responsible, subject to the board’s control for supervising and managing the authority’s staff, activities, funds and property and performing such other functions as the board may assign to him or as may be conferred or imposed on him by or under this act or any enactments.”

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