Zimpapers Fires Three Top Executives 
18 January 2025
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Pikirayi Deketeke

By Munacho Gwamanda-The Zimbabwe Newspapers Group (Zimpapers) has dismissed three senior executives in a major shake-up widely linked to political interference in the state-controlled media.

Long-serving Chief Executive Officer Pikirayi Deketeke, Chief Finance Officer Farai Matanhire, and Chief Marketing Officer Tapuwa Mandimutsira have been relieved of their duties. 

Veteran journalist William Chikoto has stepped in as the acting CEO.

Zimpapers, a publicly listed but government-controlled company, operates an expansive media empire that includes leading newspapers The HeraldSunday MailChronicle, and Sunday News

It also runs Star FM, Diamond FM, and Capitalk FM radio stations, as well as commercial printing services.

The leadership changes signal sweeping reforms across Zimpapers’ platforms, including its print, radio, and television operations.

These developments come against the backdrop of long-standing allegations of Zanu PF’s direct interference in theeditorial and operational independence of state media.

Zimpapers has often been accused of functioning as a propaganda arm for the ruling party, prioritizing its political agenda over journalistic integrity.

Critics argue that political meddling compromises the media house’s ability to operate as a credible source of information.

Efforts to obtain a comment from Deketeke were unsuccessful at the time of publication.

This story is developing.