VETERAN broadcaster Maureen Nkandu has confirmed media reports surrounding her appointment and subsequent withdrawal of the letter as ZNBC Director General.
Ms Nkandu said she received an appointment letter as Director-General of ZNBC, on August 24, 2022.
She said that was after an interview with a panel of Board members on July 16, which also included the Permanent Secretary Information Kennedy Kalunga, and a non-Board member Chibamba Kanyama, who said he was on the panel in his capacity as an adviser to the Board.
Ms Nkandu said her appointment letter was signed by the Board Chairperson Jack Kalala and copied to the Minister of Information and Media, Permanent Secretary of the same Ministry, as well as the acting DC – ZNBC, acting Director HR and Admin and Acting Director Finance.
“I collected the appointment letter and signed my Contract on August 25, at ZNBC Mass Media Complex, due to start work on 1st September, 2022. I was told that a copy of the contract was to be given to me after the Chairperson had signed all three copies.
I did not hear anything official from ZNBC HR until this afternoon, August 31, when I got a call from someone from the broadcast station saying they had a letter to hand-deliver to me at home,” she said.
Ms Nkandu said she received a letter of withdrawal of appointment as ZNBC Director-General, dated August 30, 2022, signed by the Board Chair with the same individuals copied in as those in the appointment letter.
“Reasons given for the withdrawal are stated as “it has been necessitated by non-compliance with the Law on certain aspects of the recruitment process.” I am perplexed and disappointed, but nonetheless thankful to the Board of Directors for the confidence vested in me, which I strongly believe was based on merit, factored by my solid CV and performance in the three-and-a-half hour interview on July 16,” she said.
(Mwebantu, Wednesday, August 31st, 2022)
