Chronicle editor fired by Zimpapers

Chronicle editor fired by Zimpapers

MOYO: His reforms have been costly

• Charamba rings changes at ZBH

• Charamba summons Chronicle editor to Harare

• Chronicle, Herald accused of 'zealous advocacy' for Moyo

• Moyo's hand feared as Chronicle journalists sent on forced leave

• Mother of Moyo's 'secret child' disappears

• Power FM DJ Mugadza flees jail

• Newsnest: 'We're not broke'

• ZUJ demands end to Herald strike

• Sex scandal rocks Herald House

By Staff Reporter

THE Editor of the State-run Chronicle newspaper has become the first casualty of a purge aimed at weeding out former disciples of the ousted Information Minister Jonathan Moyo.

We revealed Wednesday that President Robert Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba who has previously fought running battles with Ndlovu had instigated a purge which will cover all sections of State-media.

Zimpapers confirmed in a statement that Ndlovu had been relieved of his duties with immediate effect, sending tremors right through the State media circles.

"The board and management of Zimbabwe Newspapers have reached a mutual agreement for an immediate termination of employment of its Chronicle editor, Stephen Ndlovu. The Chronicle deputy editor, Paul Mambo becomes acting editor of the newspaper until such a time that Ndlovu’s replacement has been recruited," the statement said.

Ndlovu was thrust at the helm when Moyo led a massive purge of senior journalists, replacing them with his sidekicks who would parrot his line, at times flagrantly defying some government officials.

Moyo also made sure his media supporters were handsomely rewarded by fashioning new posts like 'Special Projects Editor'.

Charamba, who has been tasked with returning sanity to State media is expected to reverse all those appointments. The Herald editor Pikirai Deketeke, and the other editors of the Zimpapers Sunday titles survive for now.

Ndlovu was also not popular among his peers. He was regularly accused of fabricating stories and misquoting colleagues.

Under his editorship, the Chronicle ran stories claiming that the opposition Movement for Democratic Change was planning to bomb landmark buildings in Bulawayo. He also authorised a story claiming that New Zimbabwe.com editor Mduduzi Mathuthu, former Daily News Chief Reporter Conrad Nyamutata and the UK Independent's Southern Africa correspondent Basildon Peta had been recruited by the MI5 to strategise for a British-led military offensive on the country.

Last Tuesday, Charamba summoned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings senior management to Harare on Tuesday where he announced plans to undo most of Moyo's ambitious but unprofitable experiments.

Moyo's ambitious plans, which included relocating some radio stations from Harare and Bulawayo to smaller towns, have resulted in the ZBH making huge losses, with workers sometimes going unpaid for weeks.

Sources said Charamba told the meeting his plans to undo some of Moyo's
plans, including renaming some of the radio stations and abandoning Moyo's stillborn project of introducing the National Broadcasting Corporation -- a 24 hour television channel.

Although Charamba is clearly in charge of the Ministry of Information following Moyo's departure, political analysts see him as an unlikely replacement for the voluble workaholic that was Moyo.
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