UZ Student Leaders Issue Mnangagwa Five-Day Ultimatum to Reverse Mushayavanhu’s RBZ Appointment. Nesbert Munyuki and Valentine Ziko, co-leaders of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU), demand President Emmerson Mnangagwa to annul the appointment of top banker John Mushayavanhu as the new Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor, citing its illegality. Mushayavanhu, a business associate of Mnangagwa, assumed the role of the central bank boss on May 1, 2024, succeeding John Mangudya whose term was ending.

In a letter directed to President Mnangagwa dated April 2, 2024, Munyuki and Ziko stated that Mushayavanhu, a shareholder of FBC Holdings Limited which wholly owns FBC Bank, violates section 16 of the RBZ Act which bars shareholders of any local banking institutions from serving as governor of the apex bank. Through their legal representatives Kossam Ncube and Partners, they wrote:

“We confirm that following mandatory disclosure by Dr Mushayavanhu himself, the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, issued a public notice dated the 8th of June 2020 advising the public of his acquisition of shares in FBC Holdings. The aforesaid notice advised the public that through a company called Tirent Investments (Pvt) Limited, on the 4th of June 2020, he purchased 1,925,000 shares in FBC Holdings to the value of ZW$4,427,500 raising his shares in the company to 42,325,00.

Yet again, on the 14th September 2020, the Stock Exchange pursuant to disclosure from him, issued another notice advising the public that on the 9th September 2020 through Tirent Investments, he made an additional purchase of 512,200 shares for the sum of ZW$5,112,000,00 increasing his total number of shares in FBC Holdings to 43,768,149.”

The two student leaders argued that following yet another mandatory disclosure from him, the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange issued a public notice on the 24th of June 2021, advising the public of another purchase of shares in FBC Holdings on his part. They said:

“The public notice advised that on the 22nd of June 2021, through Tirent Investments (Pvt) Ltd, he purchased 207,000 additional shares in FBC Holdings to the value of ZW$6,104,354,65 taking his total number of shares post the transaction to 43,768,149.”

Furthermore, public information available at the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange confirms that indeed, Tirent Investments, the vehicle through which he has been purchasing shares in FBC Holdings, holds about 7% shareholding in the listed company.

The student leaders asserted that FBC Holdings Limited wholly owns FBC Bank. They highlighted that Mushayavanhu, through his investment vehicle Tirent Investments, is a shareholder in a company that wholly owns a registered and trading banking institution.

The two students insisted that Mnangagwa reverse Mushayavanhu’s appointment within five days, or else they would initiate legal proceedings.