Emmanuel Zvada

Did you know that today’s business environment is actually becoming ever more Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (Vuca). A Vuca business environment poses many challenges to organisations and only the prepared and agile will survive such an environment. Truth be told, HR practitioners need to attend to how your organisations respond to issues of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, because the world is getting more and more Vuca every single day.

What does Vuca means?

The acronym Vuca was first introduced by the US Army, as a military and geopolitical term, to define the world after the collapse of the communist bloc at the beginning of the 1990s.

Such collapse affected performance of organisations, employees and employers to such an extent that organisations with no proper strategies could not survive. Nowadays, it is used in the field of business strategy and management, since the environment has become less predictable and full of changes, doubts and conflicts. The Vuca economy best describes the Zimbabwean economy.

Is Zimbabwe becoming a Vuca economy?

This term Vuca, concisely describes our situation in Zimbabwe today which is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. The country moves through all four of the letters on a daily basis. Most businesses are getting frustrated and there is uncertainty, there is volatility, complexity and ambiguity. Business is finding it difficult to pay staff and the staff is finding it difficult to come to work as the cost of living is overtaken by cost of labour. Below are some instances in Zimbabwe that just prove the turbulence that the country is experiencing on a daily basis.

During the beginning of the year, there was an outcry and a complete fear that prices of goods would go up and surely, they did go up.

The price of fuel which is also the enabler to many activities in the country has also gone up and is continuously being reviewed every week or two. It is difficult to imagine the chaos it causes to a business that is trying to budget or plan anything. The price constantly changes and yet there is no guaranteed availability. Business and citizens are uncertain of the next steps that the government will take and that only serves to create volatility and a very ambiguous business environment. It’s good to plan, but nowadays you plan and the next thing you adjust your plan.

Planning has become a foreign concept simply because change is moving more frequently and faster than one can imagine.

Electronic money and mobile wallets now dominate daily transactions because of the shortage of cash. On the same note, exchange rates are changing daily, weekly and sometimes hourly, creating an uncertain environment. The question is how then will the employers match these changes to capacitate their employees to continue coming to work.

The gaps between the employees being paid in forex is widening more than those being paid in local currency even if they have the same qualifications and experience.

Antidotes against Vuca world

Make no mistake, Vuca times are real, painful, challenging and tough. What needs to be done is to be willing to face the brutal facts and challenges of the present and see possibilities beyond your current challenges. Business leaders and CEOs are indeed struggling to lead in a Vuca environment. No wonder many people see change as the only constant, and HR professionals find themselves constantly re-organising so as to fit in the volatile environment.

Agility mentality

In a Vuca world, learning agile HR leaders are better equipped to be successful. They are open to learning from experience. They can quickly recognise better ways to get things accomplished. If we hold on to the way we always do things — stay in our comfort zones — we cease to grow intellectually and behaviourally. These are the kind of managers who are flexible and open to change and thrive on new experiences. This means those individuals who are quick to learning from experience and move forward with new ideas will be better prepared to succeed in tomorrow’s world and survive the volatility.

Multi-tasking abilities

In the Vuca world, managing change will be a continuous process and one will have to invest in it to build the capabilities in him/herself to adapt to this changing environment.

Continuous learning, upgrading of skill sets will be the key to overcome the challenges.

+HR leaders need to develop training programmes at every level which will help in building the desired skill sets in its people. HR must also be able to identify the right talent and promote such talent for critical projects and assignments. Ability to manage multifarious roles will also be the key to survive in extreme conditions.

Adaptability and flexibility skills

Being adaptive to change in the workplace is the first and foremost trait that HR people need to have. Flexibility is the idea that your plans can change very quickly, sometimes with or without notice. We can not always predict when changes like these are going to happen. That is why flexibility is so important. When you are flexible, you are versatile, resilient and responsive to change. You can adapt to unexpected demands in sudden workplace surges. The HR team should be able to understand when it’s time to modify old policies, create new ones and how to help employees embrace change.

Substitue “volatility” with clear vision

A vision statement is a statement of an organisation’s over-arching aspirations of what it hopes to achieve or to become. Here are some examples of vision statements: In volatile situations, the knowledge of facts and opinions is important, separating facts and opinion, precise and objective communication is the key in this situation. Volatility can only be combated with clear vision. When changes are rapid, employees need to know what’s happening and where they are heading to.

A clear-cut vision and fact-based knowledge of the situation helps creating a pathway. A clear sense of vision helps to keep people focused and distinguish between what is essential to do and what are the priorities amongst the myriad of activities. This will also help them understand the demands and opportunities emerging.

Substitute “uncertainty” with understanding

Employees should know what is happening, what the organisation is planning. In fact, there should be constant communication between the employees and the employers. It should be known that rapid changes in the environment requires faster communication, ensuring everyone has the same level of understanding. The pretext of performance in such a period is the ability of leaders to build trust; this has to be done during a calmer period.

When uncertainty hits the organisation, all have faith in the leadership that they will do their best in the interest of the people they lead.

Coping with the complexity of today’s business environment is not about predicting the future or reducing risk. It’s about building capability of people and the organisation; to adapt continuously and learn speedily, in order to maximise the chances of seizing fleeting opportunities. Surviving in a hostile world seems to be a very big challenge.

Vuca forces will present businesses with the need to move from opportunities that are necessary for survival and sustainability. To survive in a Vuca world, your business needs to be agile, so replace Vuca (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguity) with Vuca (Vision, understanding, clarity and agility.

 Emmanuel Zvada is a human capital consultant and an international recruitment expert. He writes in his personal capacity.

BY JAMES MUONWA

THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has raised grave concern over rampant corruption, dereliction of duty and arrogance by staffers at the Registrar-General’s (RG) Office.

The RG’s Office is responsible for issuing birth certificates, national identity cards, passports, citizenships and death certificates.

ZHRC commissioner Joseph Kurebwa yesterday blasted officials from the RG’s Office for being corrupt and rude.

Kurebwa’s tongue-lashing followed complaints by witnesses giving oral evidence before a commission of inquiry on access to documentation in Zimbabwe in Chinhoyi yesterday.

He said there was widespread resentment for registry employees and warned of impending spontaneous public attacks on them.

“This is not the first time we are receiving complaints against the officers’ conduct which dampens citizens’ will to get documentation,” he said.

“Corruption and arrogance should not be tolerated and culprits should not go unpunished. There is resentment and bitterness and citizens might resort to unconstitutional means if they feel culprits are not being punished,” Kurebwa said, adding that decisive punitive measures must be meted against offenders.

A witness, Gwinyai Malunga of Trelawney, about 14km south-west of Banket, alleged that registry officials conducting a mobile registration exercise in his area had demanded a goat and chicken for them to facilitate his acquisition of a birth certificate and national identity card.

Mashonaland West provincial registrar, Kevin Maturi admitted there were cases of corruption that were reported against some officials.

He, however, said in most cases perpetrators go unpunished due to lack of co-operation by complainants.

“In most instances, clients do not co-operate when you ask them to identify culprits. It is a challenge to us as heads of departments and supervisors,” Maturi said.

ZHRC commissioner Kwanele Jirira urged the RG’s Office to embrace technology and install closed circuit television (CCTV) systems in order to nail corrupt officials.

“If cases of corruption are rife, why not ask for CCTVs to monitor your workers? This is a recommendation you can make,” Jirira said.

Meanwhile, ZHRC deputy chairperson Ellen Sithole, following concerns by witnesses, took pot-shots at the RG’s Office for failing to embrace mobile money platforms for payment of services.

The ZHRC is conducting an inquiry on access to documentation in Zimbabwe in Chinhoyi. Similar exercises have been held in eight other provinces.

BY VANESSA GONYE

STAKEHOLDERS have called on responsible authorities to formulate legislation and fund mechanisms to support the research and eradication of invasive plant species, vernonanthura polyanthes (sprengel) vega and dematteis (bee bush), posing a danger to edible plants, vegetation and livestock in the Eastern Highlands.

Vernonathura polyanthes is a shrub indigenous to Bolivia and Brazil.

Research indicates that it was introduced as a nectar plant for bees, possibly in the early 1990s in areas around Sussundenga, Mozambique, and has spread to the eastern parts of the country through wind action.

The bee bush is an erect shrub of up to three metres tall with striate and tomentose stems.

Although the plant has established and naturalised itself in Chipinge and Chimanimani, it has also shown characteristics of being invasive.

Speaking at a stakeholder consultative meeting in Harare yesterday, Environmental Management Agency spokesperson Liberty Mugadza said there was need to put in place measures to deal with the invasive plant.

“Our call is for it to be given national attention for management, including legislation and funding mechanisms to support awareness raising research and eradication,” he said.

The plant is said to be affecting indigenous plant populations depriving communities of the benefits they have been getting from flora, including medicines and food.

“There is evidence that it has more potential of spreading into the entire country through wind action. It is a serious weed also affecting livelihoods in the Eastern Highlands where we have our tea plantations, fruit orchards, timber plantations and tourism,” he said.

“The plant has been spreading fast since 2000 when it was first identified and is now affecting Chipinge, Chimanimani, Mutare and Mutasa districts.”

Forestry Commission acting deputy general manager (research and training) Joyce Gombe said the plant was affecting forestry business.

“It is really a problem for us interested in forestry and bio-diversity. It has proven to be a serious challenge in silvicultural operations in the plantations and that has increased our costs and we really look forward to a solution to the problem,” she said.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

CIVIL society organisations (CSOs) in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) have come up with a draft Electoral Amendment Bill, which will give the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) a wide range of powers including postponing elections.

The draft Bill, which was commissioned and handed over to House of Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda by Zesn, proposes a raft of changes to the current electoral laws to ensure smooth running of polls and an end to contested elections.

“Electoral outcomes have, in the past, been highly contested in Zimbabwe due to the gaps in the existing legal framework that does not embrace principles for the conducting of democratic elections,” said Zesn, which believes the Bill will cure the ills.

The Bill seeks to give Zec powers to postpone elections even after the President has proclaimed the polls if, in their view, conditions do not allow for the conducting of free and fair elections.

“Clause 27 will introduce a new section 39B, which empowers the Commission to postpone an election at any polling station if it reasonably determined that it is not possible to conduct a free and fair election at the polling station. Any postponement should be to a time within the period prescribed for holding elections by section 38 (1) of the Constitution,” part of the Bill reads.

Currently, once the President has proclaimed an election date by Executive Order unless by an act of God or in the event of an earthquake, the polls will go ahead regardless of the prevailing conditions.

The Bill seeks to also remove the role placed on the Justice minister over Zec, which observers felt gave the Executive control over the independent commission.

Zec cannot hire and fire the chief elections officer without the approval of the minister and the electoral management body cannot make its own regulations on running the elections, leaving such powers to the minister who is also a player.

“Section 9 of the Electoral Act states that the commission can dismiss it’s chief elections officer for breach of any of his or her conditions of service and obliges the commission to obtain the minister’s approval for any such dismissal. The amendment made of this section will remove the need for ministerial approval to underscore the independence of the commission.

“Section 18 … the section gives power to the minister to make regulations regarding automatic and electronic voter registration … the amendment will transfer power to the commission to make regulations regarding automatic and electronic voter registration as provided for in the amendment to section 192 of the Act under clause 86,” reads notes to the Bill.

The draft Bill was commissioned by Mudenda, who asked Zesn to lead CSOs in coming up with an alternative law which could lead to meaningful electoral reforms ahead of the 2023 general elections.

By Everson Mushava

THE Minister of State in the President’s Office in charge of Implementation and Monitoring, Joram Gumbo, was yesterday arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) for criminal abuse of office during his time as Transport minister.

He becomes the second minister to be arrested in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption fight after former Tourism minister Priscah Mupfumira, who is still on trial for criminal abuse of office, money-laundering and corruption involving US$95 million of the National Social Security Authority funds.

Gumbo, a key Mnangagwa ally who is from the President’s home province of Midlands, was arrested yesterday morning for crimes he allegedly committed when he was Transport minister under the late former President Robert Mugabe administration, Zacc spokesperson John Makamure confirmed.

According to his charge sheet, Gumbo was arrested over a prejudice of US$1 million towards the renting and renovation of a house belonging to his “relative,” Mavis Gumbo in Harare’s leafy Chishawasha suburb, which was used as the headquarters of Zimbabwe Airways, a new airline which suffered stillbirth after Mugabe was toppled in a coup in November 2017.

Simba Chikore, Mugabe’s son-in-law, was the chief executive of the airline.

“The accused corruptly and single-headedly picked his niece, Mavis Gumbo’s house, whose address is Number 1436 Gletywin, Chishawasha Hills, for use as the headquarters for Zimbabwe Airways,” part of the charge sheet read.

“On August 21, 2017, the accused directed that the monies from Zimbabwe Airways RBZ [Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe] account should be used to rent and renovate the purported Zimbabwe Airways headquarters office, a property belonging to his relative, Mavis Gumbo. The accused caused Zimbabwe Airways to enter into a property lease agreement for the rental of Number 1436 Gletywin, Chishawasha Hills, thereby showing favour to his relative, Mavis Gumbo.”

Zacc added: “The accused acted contrary and inconsistent with his duties as a public officer by showing favour to his relative Mavis Gumbo, thereby causing the government of Zimbabwe to be prejudiced of US$1 million as a result of such actions. To date, nothing has been recovered.”

The State is the complainant in the matter.

The anti-graft body also alleged that on September 12, 2017, Zimbabwe Airways deposited an amount of US$1 million into Maclaten Holdings’ Standard Chartered bank account, owned by Mavis’ daughter, Clara Rachael Mudzami, and nothing has been recovered.

According to the charge sheet, Zacc alleged, Gumbo in March 2012 “caused the formation of Zimbabwe Airways, a private entity”.

After the formation of the company, two officials from the Transport ministry, Andrew Bvumbe and Angeline Karonga, were appointed as directors to the company, which, according to the Memorandum and Articles of Association, was to do passenger, cargo and freight agency on international and domestic air terminals as well as provide customs bonded warehouse facilities, among other things.

But it has turned out that Gumbo was not Transport minister in 2012 as alleged in the charge sheet.

Instead, Nicholas Goche was.

Zacc made the same mistake in Mupfumira’s case, claiming her offence was committed before December 2014, when the former Tourism minister was appointed in December the same year.

Zacc officials declined to explain the anomaly.

BY MISHMA CHAKANYUKA

CONFUSION reigns supreme ahead of the introduction of new coins and bank notes of the Zimbabwe dollar with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) yesterday releasing a statement that it will be injecting new two dollar bond coins into circulation by November 11 instead of $2 coins.

In a public notice, RBZ governor John Mangudya said the $2 coins will be used interchangeably with the $2 bond notes which are already in circulation.

“In line with the pronouncement made in the 2019 Mid-Term Monetary Policy Statement and the Press statement of October 2, 2019 to increase the level of physical cash in circulation, the RBZ wishes to advise the public that with effect from November 11, 2019, it shall issue a two-dollar bond coin which will circulate alongside the two-dollar bond note,” Mangudya said.

The central bank last week announced during a Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held in Harare that it was going to introduce new currency notes and coins in the next two weeks to ease the liquidity crisis.

The new bond coins are likely to create confusion in the market.

Attempts to get clarity on the issue failed as Mangudya had not responded to questions sent to him by the time of going to print.

The RBZ, which has already announced the features of the $2 and $5 notes said the two dollar bond coin features a bi-metal with the outer rim being copper-nickel plated and the inner core being aluminium bronze plated and serrated rim profile with a groove and edge lettering.

“The currency’s features will also include inscription of the words ‘Two Dollar Bond Coin’ and the numeral and symbol ‘2$’ on the observe side and inscription of the letters ‘RBZ’ and the numeral ‘2018’ on the reverse side,” the statement read.

Zimbabwe has been facing acute cash shortages while the use of electronic money has failed to stem the problem, creating a three-tier pricing model which government is battling to close. The cash shortages have also led to frequent price increases, causing inflation.