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Crime Reporter
Five board members have been appointed to the Lotteries and Gambling Board, which will be chaired by Mrs Euginia Chidhakwa, an official from the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation.

Other members are director in Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Mr Alouis Dambudzo Matongo, Mr Fredson Mabhena from the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Douglas Runyowa from the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry and Mrs Catherine Madanha Maveneka from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

The Lotteries and Gambling Board (LGB) is the country’s regulatory body responsible for controlling and monitoring operations of the gambling industry through the Lotteries and Gaming Act, which came into operation in 2000.

The board also issues licences to gaming operators.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said the LGB had an oversight role and obligation to ensure that standards of good corporate governance were upheld in the gaming industry for the good of the nation.

He said in terms of the Lotteries and Gaming Act (Chapter 10:26), there must be a board that consists of a chairperson and seven other members appointed by the minister in consultation with the President.

Minister Kazembe said so far they had appointed an interim board and will continue to search for the remaining board members from other target institutions.

“To the appointees, let me emphasise that you are entrusted to the board to implement the Act without fear or favour, in compliance with provisions of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act (Chapter 10:31),” he said.

“I am equally confident that this team will also ensure that the fundamentals of good governance, which are integral in our quest to attain an upper middle-income economy by the year 2030, are upheld. The board can surely make its own contribution to the furtherance of the ministerial targets, which are in line with our national endeavours.”

Minister Kazembe urged the board members to exercise probity, especially in handling prospective gambling entrepreneurs.

Further, he called for fairness in the conduct of games.

Minister Kazembe said it was his hope that the vulnerable were protected and defended from unorthodox practices.