BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
NATPHARM board member Gerald Gore gave the impression in court accused of abuse of force after not appointing a new executive leader to upgrade Flora Nancy Sifeku, who was due to retire after completing her 10-year term.
Instead, the board illegally extended Sifeku’s contract after serving for 10 consecutive years at the government’s pharmaceutical company.
Gore, 42, who is indicted along with another Member of Natpharm’s board, Charles Enos Maponga, 60, gave the impression to Judge Trynos Utawashe, who granted them a $3,000 bond and postponed the case until September 24.
This is the case of the state that Sifeku appointed in 2015 as ceo of Natpharm under a three-year contract.
The state alleges that on July 31, 2018, natpharm’s former board member, George Washaya, wrote Sifeku a retirement notice.
In addition, it became clear that, under the Law on Corporate Governance of Public Entities, Sifeku can no longer be re-elected after being CEO of Natpharm for more than 10 years.
It is alleged that the former members of Natpharm’s board of directors were dissolved prematurely and that the entity operated without a board of directors from October 2018 to June 2019, at which point Sifeku was directly under the control of former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo.
The state alleges that on July 1, 2019, Gore appointed Natpharm’s Board of Directors through Moyo. On 18 July, Gore attended an assembly of the Human Resources Committee in Natpharm.
The assembly chaired through Chifamba in which the factor of the recruitment of a new Director General was discussed.
It is alleged that on November 30, 2018, Sifeku’s six-month extension expired and he continued to paint the contract renewal and approval to renew the president’s term.
On October 5, 2019, Maponga was appointed to the Natpharm Board of Directors and won a letter of appointment on December 30, 2019.
The state alleges that, as a result of Sifeku’s paint contract, it harmed The Natpharm through $631,997 and US$2,865 when receiving wages and benefits.