ZANU PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere has vented his anger at top scribes at the State-controlled Herald newspaper, accusing them of fanning factionalism instead of supporting “the [ruling] party and leadership”.
Source: Kasukuwere slams ‘factionalism fanning’ Herald scribes – NewsDay Zimbabwe January 17, 2017
By XOLISANI NCUBE
In a tweet directed at the Herald, Kasukuwere, who is believed to be a member of the Zanu PF G40 faction, said on Sunday: “@Herald Zimbabwe, editorial team has to change. You defend [businessman, Energy] Mutodi at the expense of the party and leadership. In your view he was correct?”
Mutodi, who is a fierce backer of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction, recently caused a storm after he called on President Robert Mugabe to quit and leave his deputy — Mnangagwa — to take over.
Mutodi’s statements, which came after Mnangagwa hosted Zanu PF “renegades” and suspended party officials at a New Year’s party at his rural home in Zvishavane, were interpreted as having the Vice-President’s backing.
Kasukuwere’s tweet appears to be a direct response to an opinion published in The Herald on Saturday, which insinuated that some politicians were up against the paper for its reportage.
“Someone clearly sees a stumbling block in the ‘State media’ and has been heard many times whining about it and even calling for a change of guard at our newspaper stables,” read the opinion, authored by an anonymous columnist.
After the post, some of Kasukuwere’s followers attacked him for suggesting that the State media — which should be impartial — should support a particular political party.
Opposition politicians have always accused the State media of being the mouthpiece of Zanu PF, used for the party’s propaganda.
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