Cabinet approved an amendment bill that replaces the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF) with a new board to be deemed Zimbabwe Manpower Development Board.
The amended Manpower Planning and Development Bill, 2019 is intended to align the Manpower Development Act [Chapter 28:2] with the Constitution, under the ongoing Legislative Reform Programme which is being pursued by the Second Republic according to Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa.
“The Amendment primarily seeks to streamline and elevate the role of tertiary institutions, science and technology institutions as well as professional bodies in the industrialisation and modernisation of Zimbabwe and its provisions will take precedence over all matters relating to manpower development and training,” Mutsvangwa said.
“Each institution will be obliged to establish on its own or in partnership with another, an Innovation and Industrialisation Fund for the purpose of supporting the development of start-up commercial enterprises and or technological solutions within its purview towards the attainment of Vision 2030 of a knowledge and technology-driven upper middle income society with a high quality of life for all.”
Information Minister also went on to say that amendment also provides for the entrenchment of good corporate governance in the running of the institutions.
The Zimbabwe Manpower Development Board will administer the Fund (ZIMDEF) according to information coming out of yesterday’s cabinet meeting.
“This will help curb excesses that had previously manifested in a manner that negated the purposes and objectives of the Fund,” Mutsvangwa said.
“In addition, the Bill provides for the transfer of persons employed in tertiary institutions from the Public Service to the Tertiary Education Service.”
ZIMDEF was established by the Manpower Planning and Development Act, for the development of skilled manpower in Zimbabwe.
The fund has however been rocked with a scandal which witnessed Former Higher and Tertiary Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo and his Deputy Godfrey Gandawa being allegedly accused of corruption.
The exiled professor defended the corruption allegations by calling himself Robin Hood, who stole money from the rich to give the poor.
