CIO suspends Daily Mirror journalists

CIO suspends Daily Mirror journalists

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By Lebo Nkatazo

THE Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) has intensified a purge against staff perceived not to be towing the line at the Daily Mirror, amid revelations of the firing of two senior journalists this week.

The paper, previously one of Zimbabwe last independent newspapers, has been taken over by the spy agency using State funds.

The axing of the two journalists follows the sacking of two other managers as the battle to weed out elements perceived to be loyal to suspended Mirror founder and Chief Executive, Ibbo Mandaza gathers momentum.

Sources said Friday that the Mirror's chief reporter, Sydney Kawadza, was fired while senior reporter, Takunda Maodza, was suspended this week on allegations of non-performance.

This follows the suspension of the Mirror group’s financial director Ngoni Mangadze and senior accounting officer, Francis Kutinhi, also this week.

Since the CIO took over control of the Mirror, three other reporters were suspended and later reinstated. News editor Patson Matsikidze remains suspended. Last year, they also chased away all journalists who were on attachment.

The CIO is said to be making frantic efforts to replace staff who were there during Mandaza’s reign with satte agents and loyalists.

Sources said one of the affected journalists, Maodza, who was assigned by the paper's editors to cover the “MDC desk”, had been suspended on allegations that he was a "MDC correspondent".

“The fact is that the CIO-controlled board did not understand that Maodza was assigned by the editors to cover the MDC. They constantly accused him of being an MDC and ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions) sympathiser,” a source said.

Late last year, the High Court ruled that Mandaza should return to work, but the CIO have been defying the order directing workers not to co operate with him.
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