bThe Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) has long been the cornerstone of the nation’s creative economy, tasked with the sacred duty of ensuring that composers and musicians receive their fair share of royalties. However, the recent termination of board member Gift Amuli’s membership has exposed a fractured organisation struggling with internal dissent, governance crises, and a widening rift with the very artists it is meant to serve. This investigative report delves into the labyrinth of allegations, legal battles, and power struggles that have culminated in the expulsion of one of the industry’s most vocal figures.
The official axe fell on 5 June 2026. In a formal letter that has since circulated widely within the arts community, ZIMURA notified Gift Amuli that his membership was being terminated with immediate effect. The document, signed by Board Chairman Alexio Gwenzi and Disciplinary Committee Chairman First Farai (also known as First Farai ‘Batani’), was the result of a disciplinary process that found Amuli guilty of multiple counts of misconduct. These included misrepresentation, breach of confidentiality, defamation, incitement, and taking unauthorised actions.
At the heart of the association’s case was a press conference held by Amuli in Harare on 19 January 2026. ZIMURA management alleged that during this event, Amuli disclosed private organisational information and made defamatory statements against the board and management. The association’s stance was clear: Amuli had overstepped his bounds as a board member and acted in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the organisation.
However, to understand why a sitting board member would take the drastic step of calling a rogue press conference, one must look back at the months of escalating tension that preceded the split. Amuli, alongside fellow board members Dereck Mpofu and Joseph Garakara, had formed a dissenting faction within the leadership. They claimed that ZIMURA had been “captured” by its secretariat and that their efforts to bring transparency to the organisation’s financial dealings were being systematically blocked.
The most explosive issue in this internal war was the disposal of ZIMURA’s property in the upscale suburb of Avondale. In January 2026, the association issued a public notice to address what it termed “growing misinformation” regarding the sale of two residential flats. ZIMURA argued that the units were dilapidated and unsuitable for its operations, claiming that staff were being forced to work from makeshift offices, including a kitchen area.
“The units had become inadequate for our expanding operations,” the association noted in its official statement. It further asserted that under Article 41 of its Articles of Association, the board had the full authority to make such decisions without the need for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). “We reiterate that there is never a need to call an AGM or an EGM to make such decisions. The reason why the board is elected is precisely to make such decisions.”
This interpretation of the rules was flatly rejected by the Amuli faction. They alleged that the sale was handled with a lack of transparency and that the proceeds were not being properly accounted for. Dereck Mpofu, speaking on behalf of the “rebel” trio, revealed that they had actively blocked the completion of the sale by refusing to sign the necessary legal documents. “The transaction has not yet been completed because we, as the board of directors, refused to sign over or do the conveyancing for the property sale to be complete,” Mpofu explained.
The arrest drew sharp criticism from across the music industry. Fellow artist Seh Calaz was among the most prominent voices to speak out, framing the incident as an attack on free speech within the arts. “Artists must be free to speak on their royalties. What’s happening between Farai and Gift Amuli linked to ZIMURA is bigger than individuals,” he stated, reflecting a growing sentiment that the organisation was using legal and administrative muscle to crush dissent.
The governance issues at ZIMURA are not confined to internal bickering. The organisation has also faced intense scrutiny from the government. In April 2025, the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs intervened after reports surfaced that ZIMURA was levying unauthorised fees. This included a controversial US$150 per-event tariff for cover bands and a demand for 30 per cent of total sponsorship proceeds from events.
Willie Mushayi, the chief registrar in the Department of Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property, issued a stern directive to the association. “The charges were not approved and therefore lacked legal basis,” he stated. “Henceforth… you are hereby directed to suspend the levying of the above cited tariffs until a determination has been made by the Regulator.” This intervention was a significant blow to the association’s credibility and provided further ammunition for those claiming that the leadership was acting outside the law.
The Zimbabwe Musicians Union (ZIMU) was quick to capitalise on the ministry’s ruling, describing the fees as a “predatory scheme” and calling for a complete overhaul of the organisation. They argued that ZIMURA’s practices over the last four decades had been “destructive” to the industry.
Adding another layer of complexity to the saga is the history of ZIMURA’s executive leadership. In July 2025, the then-Executive Director, Polisile Ncube-Chimhini, was convicted of fraud by the Harare Magistrates’ Court for submitting fraudulent company registration documents. Despite the conviction, she remained in her position for several months, a fact that the dissenting board members cited as evidence of deep-seated corruption. Although she eventually stepped down in February 2026, the controversy surrounding her tenure continues to haunt the organisation.
For the musicians on the ground, the administrative infighting is a secondary concern compared to the reality of their royalty cheques. The dispute has brought to light several accounts of artists receiving what they consider to be pittance for their work. Sungura star Romeo Gasa expressed his frustration after receiving only US$41 from ZIMURA for an album that had won a $700 prize in a national competition.
“If artists registered with ZIMURA are not ZIMURA, then who are they?” Gasa asked rhetorically. He challenged the management’s right to dismiss board members who had been elected by the artists themselves. “We elected the current board, including Dereck Mpofu, Gift Amuli and Joseph Garakara. You cannot claim to have fired board members that we elected.”
Another artist, Chief Hwenje, reported receiving just US$80 despite his songs enjoying massive airplay across the country. These stories of financial hardship have created a groundswell of support for the “rebel” board members, who are seen as the only ones willing to challenge the status quo.
ZIMURA, for its part, maintains that it is the victim of a coordinated effort to malign its reputation. In its public communications, the management has consistently framed the dispute as a matter of individual misconduct rather than systemic failure. They argue that the termination of Gift Amuli was a necessary step to maintain discipline and protect the association’s operational integrity. “The individuals involved are acting in a personal capacity,” the management stated, urging members to ignore “unauthorised messages.”
As it stands, Gift Amuli has 14 days to appeal his termination. Whether he chooses to fight the decision through internal channels or takes the matter to the courts remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the damage to ZIMURA’s reputation will take much longer to heal.
The termination of Gift Amuli is not just the end of a single board member’s tenure; it is a symptom of a deeper malaise within the structures that govern music rights in Zimbabwe. It raises uncomfortable questions about accountability, the transparency of asset management, and the rights of artists to question their leaders without fear of retribution.
The battle for the soul of ZIMURA continues. On one side stands a management and board majority that insists on the primacy of its rules and regulations. On the other is a growing coalition of artists and dissenting leaders who believe the organisation has lost its way. In the middle are the thousands of Zimbabwean musicians whose livelihoods depend on a fair and functional royalty system.
As the sun sets on this chapter of the ZIMURA saga, the industry remains on edge. The termination of Gift Amuli may have been intended to silence a critic, but it has instead amplified a conversation that many in the association’s leadership would likely prefer to avoid. The demand for a more transparent, accountable, and artist-centric ZIMURA has never been louder. Whether the organisation can reform itself from within, or whether it will require further government intervention to restore order, is the question that now hangs over the future of Zimbabwe’s music industry.