Veteran Shangani broadcaster, and Avuxeni FM station manager, Thomas Chauke, has resigned.
By Staff Reporter
The recently appointed Chief Executive Officer, Saviours Furumele, who is also the Vice Chairman and Spokesperson for Avuxeniconfirmed the bad to news to Lowveld Checkpoint.
Furumele said the broadcaster, who has been a cog at Avuxeni since it’s establishment late last year, decided not to renue his contract that ended on 28 February 2022.
“Yes I can confirm that Mr Chauke resigned He only indicated that he was not in a position to renew his contract at Avuxeni”, Furumele said.
The manager also confirmed that he finally threw the hat.
“I tendered my resignation on Friday. I have tried to do my best at Avuxeni under very difficult conditions, and I think it’s high time someone takes over,” Chauke said.
Privy sources told Lowveld Checkpoint that the manager left the station due to lack of proffesionalism, interference by the board as well as big brother attitude by some board members.
During the infancy of Avuxeni radio, Chauke was instrumental in putting all systems in place, including negotiating for sponsored programs from stakeholders for sustainability of radio station.
He approached several stakeholders, including the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority(ZTA), who availed Zwl$66 000 to the radio station for sponsored programmes.
Technically, Furumele now calls the shorts at Avuxeni, despite lack and no experience in the media industry.
On the same line, the manager was tactfully pushed to report to Furumele.
Sources also said moral is at its lowest ebb at the community radio station.
The radio station is a community project by word of mouth, but actually being ‘owned’ and controlled by individuals.
According to the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe(BAZ), a community radio is owned and run by the community for the community.
Only corporates, quasi Government institutions and local authorities may have CEO, who run the day to day operations of the organisation, and often paid on high salary scale.
There has never been sanity at Avuxeni since it’s inception, owing to bickering over it’s ownership, which is highly vested among few Shangani board members, supported by some politicians.
The board is widely composed of overzealous media laymen, who are said to be looking at every chance to amass wealth through the project.
Last year, the board went and met the resident Minister Ezra Chadzamira in Masvingo, and presented a request to have them allocated sugarcane fields that will help sustain the radio station.
Surprisingly, the board members requested the sugarcane farms in their names and not Avuxeni.
Mrs Makondo immediately resigned from the board after the debacle.
“Problems at Avuxeni will not end untill and unless the board is disbanded by the community and select a new one.
The community has a right to call this board to order. A community radio must be inclusive and involving. No one owns it and the board is only there on behalf of the community and if the community is not happy with the board, they can replace it with another one”, a media law student said.
The huff departure of Thomas Chauke has left a huge gape that has paralysed operations at the radio station since there is no one with media background to direct operations in the studio Lowveld Checkpoint is reliably informed that several volunteers are set to leave the station in protest against the board that elbowed him out.
“Everyone at the station was shocked by Mr Chauke’ resignation. He is the only one who knows how to run a radio station. Without him, I don’t think many people will stay”, said a worker at the radio who refused to be named for fear of victimisation.
Thomas Chauke is a veteran broadcaster, who gained his fame during a decade stay at ZBC’s National FM where he was a pillar in Shangani language bulletins and Programmes.
He joined Avuxeni on request from the board, but his short stay, less than 6 months, proved that the cockpit is too hot to stay.
