Manipulation of the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA)

Written by Fred Farai Nyakudanga

A comparison of the two documents reveals discrepancies in the Memorandum and Articles of Association. The document on the left, purporting to be an amendment, lacks registration stamps, casting doubt on its legitimacy. In contrast, the document on the right, sourced from the Companies Zimura file and dated 27 September 2025, appears to be a genuine record. The origin of the unregistered document is questionable, raising concerns about potential forgery or tampering.

The tempered one is the one our board members were given in the so called induction.

The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) was established under the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act to uplift music composers and other creatives. However, the association has been plagued by deliberate chaos, particularly after Gil Atkinson's departure. The employees, fighting for their survival, have prioritized their interests over those of the members, engaging in alleged falsification of important documents, such as the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

A fake document, purportedly amended on September 8, 2023, has surfaced, which appears to weaken membership rights. Amendments of any statutes is done at either an AGM or EGM and such changes are made with guidance of the Companies and Other Business Entities Act. This manipulation is a clear attempt to scoop members' interests in favour of the workers. The statute represents members' interests throughout the year when they won’t be there for day to day running. The workers actions demonstrate a blatant takeover of the association. The noise at the AGM and alleged proxy votes securing board positions to favourite board members raise serious concerns about the legitimacy of the current leadership.

Moreover, the current state of affairs at ZIMURA reveals a stark imbalance. Workers draw substantial monthly remuneration, approximately $46,000/month, while members are expected to suffice with a meager annual royalty fee of $10. This disparity is a direct result of the alleged takeover by workers, facilitated by the reorientation of board members through falsified documents. The board members are now like "a cake in a baking tin," molded to conform to the workers' desires, rather than representing the interests of the members who elected them. This raises serious concerns about the governance and accountability of ZIMURA, with the workers seemingly prioritizing their own interests over those of the members, who are the lifeblood of the association.

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