The Environment, Climate and Water Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has saved top female journalist and Herald Business editor, Happiness Zengeni from being booted out of the Zimpapers stable for the publishing of an alarming and explosive story, ZimEye.comhas learnt.
The business section of The Herald on Tuesday published a revealing story headlined “February inflation points to a dying economy”.
The Herald editor Caesar Zvayi viewed the title as alarming and ordered Zengeni and her deputy, George Chisoko, to write detailed reports explaining how ‘such a screaming headline’ ended up being published.
Chisoko was subsequently suspended because he was the duty editor on that day.
Under normal circumstances the Editor, despite being absent is answerable for any editorial mistake published in a newspaper.
In December Zvayi, was sent on forced leave for publishing story headlined “Gono, Biti ties raise suspicion”.
Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said the story was based on “emotive and false assertions that smack of a hidden political agenda.”
In his defence Zvayi said he was not present when the story was published but he was sent home despite raising that excuse.
Highly placed sources within the publication’s editorial team have claimed to both the Minister and ZimEye.com that Zengeni was Kasukuwere’s girlfriend hence the survival. They accused the ZANU PF commissar saying he was in love with the female journo said to be “very attractive and beautiful” hence the unusual gesture.
“She (Zengeni) spent the rest of the day (Tuesday) under pressure from Zvayi for the story, and only to be rescued by Minister Kasukuwere. In fact the directive to suspend her and Chisoko came from the Ministry of Information but because the Minister in charge (Jonathan Moyo is a close ally of Kasukuwere the decision to fire her was then reversed and Chisoko was sacrificed,” said the source.
Zvayi confirmed Chisoko’s suspension saying his actions were meant to cause alarm and despondency.
“To this end, I am suspending you for the next two weeks on full pay with immediate effect. During this period, March 17 to April 3, you are not allowed to enter company premises”.said Zvayi in a letter he wrote to Chisoko and seen by ZimEye.com
Efforts to obtain a response comment from Minister Kasukuwere failed as his phone kept ringing without being answered.