Zimpapers Logo

Mr Edward Siwela

Ellina Mhlanga, Harare Bureau
THE Sport and Recreation Commission will today conduct interviews for the post of director-general which was left vacant last year when Charles Nhemachena retired after serving in that capacity for a decade.

The Sports Commission are still in search of a suitable candidate to take the position after their first attempt could not yield results when the shortlisted candidates failed to meet the supreme sports body’s expectations.

They had initially advertised for the post in April and conducted interviews afterwards but the Sports Commission had to re-advertise for the post last month.

Currently, Joseph Muchechetere is the acting director-general.

Sports Commission board chairman, Edward Siwela, this week told our sister paper The Herald that the interviews will be done today.

Siwela said there were 17 applicants and five were shortlisted for today’s interviews at the Sports Commission’s offices at the National Sports Stadium.

“The interview is on Saturday (today). I can tell you 17 people applied. We completed the shortlisting the day before yesterday (Thursday).

“The process is that we interview, we make recommendations initially to the board because in terms of the SRC Act the board appoints subject to approval by the minister. So the initial step, the board must consider the recommendations that the interviewing panel put together.

“And as soon as that is done the recommendation is sent to the minister (of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture) for consideration and approval,” said Siwela.

The new director-general shall be responsible for among other duties providing overall leadership to the day-to-day operations of the commission, develop the commission’s strategic and business plans, obtaining board approval and leading strategy execution in order to achieve the commission’s strategic goals.

The successful candidate will formulate organisational policies and recommending them to the board for approval. And will also be responsible for preparing budgets and submitting them for board approval.

The Sports Commission chairman recently said they are looking beyond just experience in sport as they need someone with a business track record.

“I think as the SRC board cognisant of the expectations of Government envisaged in the soon to be Act, the public entities corporate governance bill, we would like somebody who not only understands sport but is able to turn around the fortunes of SRC.

“We need somebody with a business track record. So we need a balance between an understanding of sport and a track record in running successful business,” said Siwela.