Secret memo targets NBC board chief

A SECRET memo, prepared by Information Minister Joel Kaapanda, which recommends the dismissal of NBC Board chairperson Ponhele ya France, has come to light.

Signed on September 23 by Kaapanda, the secret memo was supposed to have been distributed to Cabinet for consideration of his recommendation that Ya France be dismissed because of irreconcilable differences with the Minister. “To my surprise and disappointment I discovered that the chairman (Ya France) has been passing information to the Director General which I discussed with him in confidence which is a gross act of misconduct,” Kaapanda claims in the memo.He was seeking Cabinet approval for the removal of Ya France from the Board of NBC “in the interest of the company”.The document has yet to be formally discussed by Cabinet.Kaapanda feels that Ya France was appointed on the basis of trust and confidence but “aligned” himself with Bob Kandetu, the Director General of NBC.”My observation that the chairman aligned himself with the Director General is also shared by members of the Board of NBC.The chairman and the Director General always take the same stand on issues of NBC as opposed to the majority views,” Kaapanda wrote in the memo.He said after having assessed Ya France’s ‘attitude’, he apparently decided to inform him that he had lost trust and confidence in him as leader of the board and that “his chairmanship has become irrelevant”.Earlier, Ya France informed the NBC television news crew that Kaapanda had dismissed him verbally on September 22.That was a day before Kaapanda signed the Cabinet memo.Yesterday, Ya France was not aware of the latest Cabinet memo.”I know nothing of it but I can tell you now that I am also not aware of any conspiracy between me and the Minister discussing the Director General.Unless he spells out what actually the two of us talked about, I wouldn’t know,” he said.Ya France said he still regards himself as the chairperson of NBC because there was no formal communication to the contrary.Kaapanda’s strategy is not to make any public announcement on Ya France’s dismissal once Cabinet has approved it.”Our relationship with Mr Ya France has deteriorated and therefore, we hardly reach consensus on issues of NBC’s interest.I, therefore, recommend the removal of Mr Ya France from the Board of NBC in the interest of the corporation,” he reiterated.Earlier Ya France said he did not think the decision was based on any performance-related reasons, but rather on recent behind-the-scenes politicking related to Government suspicion over possible Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) members in the driving seat at parastatals.He referred to recent allegations of mismanagement against Kandetu that were eventually disproved, arguing that his dismissal appeared to be more of the same thing.”To my surprise and disappointment I discovered that the chairman (Ya France) has been passing information to the Director General which I discussed with him in confidence which is a gross act of misconduct,” Kaapanda claims in the memo.He was seeking Cabinet approval for the removal of Ya France from the Board of NBC “in the interest of the company”.The document has yet to be formally discussed by Cabinet.Kaapanda feels that Ya France was appointed on the basis of trust and confidence but “aligned” himself with Bob Kandetu, the Director General of NBC.”My observation that the chairman aligned himself with the Director General is also shared by members of the Board of NBC.The chairman and the Director General always take the same stand on issues of NBC as opposed to the majority views,” Kaapanda wrote in the memo.He said after having assessed Ya France’s ‘attitude’, he apparently decided to inform him that he had lost trust and confidence in him as leader of the board and that “his chairmanship has become irrelevant”. Earlier, Ya France informed the NBC television news crew that Kaapanda had dismissed him verbally on September 22.That was a day before Kaapanda signed the Cabinet memo.Yesterday, Ya France was not aware of the latest Cabinet memo.”I know nothing of it but I can tell you now that I am also not aware of any conspiracy between me and the Minister discussing the Director General.Unless he spells out what actually the two of us talked about, I wouldn’t know,” he said.Ya France said he still regards himself as the chairperson of NBC because there was no formal communication to the contrary.Kaapanda’s strategy is not to make any public announcement on Ya France’s dismissal once Cabinet has approved it.”Our relationship with Mr Ya France has deteriorated and therefore, we hardly reach consensus on issues of NBC’s interest.I, therefore, recommend the removal of Mr Ya France from the Board of NBC in the interest of the corporation,” he reiterated.Earlier Ya France said he did not think the decision was based on any performance-related reasons, but rather on recent behind-the-scenes politicking related to Government suspicion over possible Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) members in the driving seat at parastatals.He referred to recent allegations of mismanagement against Kandetu that were eventually disproved, arguing that his dismissal appeared to be more of the same thing.