Herald editor for only seven months Ray Mungoshi poured his heart out to United States embassy officials in an hour-long meeting on 27 March 2001 about the daily harassment he was getting from Information Minister Jonathan Moyo.
Mungoshi talked about Moyo’s active subversion of his editorship after he had been fired. He also talked about Moyo’s efforts to plant false stories in the newspaper, crumbling morale at the paper and his fears that Moyo’s determination to run the paper would end up destroying it.
On one occasion, Mungoshi said, Moyo sent a story alleging that Zimbabwean businessman Strive Masiyiwa was involved in illegal foreign exchange dealings.
Mungoshi sent out two reporters to work on the story but when they found no evidence he refused to run the story. He said this prompted a barrage of verbal abuse from Moyo, who told him that he had no right to question any stories Moyo wished to have published in the Herald.
After that incident, Mungoshi said he became accustomed to finding stories in the newspaper that he had never seen before or approved.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE1177, FIRED GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER EDITOR DETAILS
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
301123Z Mar 01
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6391
PAGE 01 HARARE 01177 01 OF 02 301119Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DINT-00 DODE-00
DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00
VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00
VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00
USIE-00 BBG-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /010W
——————D94883 301120Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8539
INFO NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001177
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S (KRAFT), AF/PD (COX, HOWARD, SANDERS)
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/11
TAGS: PGOV PROP PHUM KPAO PINR ZI
SUBJECT: FIRED GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER EDITOR DETAILS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 01177 01 OF 02 301119Z
STATE’S PROPAGANDA EFFORTS
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D’AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR
REASONS 1.5 B/D.
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: IN AN HOUR-LONG MARCH 27 MEETING, THE
RECENTLY FIRED EDITOR OF THE GOVERNMENT-OWNED DAILY
“THE HERALD” SPOKE OPENLY ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT’S USE
OF THE PAPER AS A PROPAGANDA TOOL. FORMER “HERALD”
EDITOR RAY MUNGOSHI (35) (PROTECT) TOLD EMBOFF ABOUT
DAILY HARASSMENT FROM INFORMATION MINISTER JONATHAN
MOYO, THE MINISTER’S ACTIVE SUBVERSION OF HIS
EDITORSHIP, THE MINISTER’S EFFORTS TO PLANT FALSE
STORIES IN THE NEWSPAPER, CRUMBLING MORALE AT THE
PAPER AND MUNGOSHI’S FEARS THAT MOYO’S DETERMINATION
TO RUN THE PAPER WILL END UP DESTROYING IT. WHILE
MUNGOSHI’S ACCOUNT LIKELY INCLUDED SOME EMBELLISHMENT
OF HIS ROLE IN DEFENSE OF MEDIA FREEDOM, HIS ACCOUNT
OF DIRECT CABINET-LEVEL INTERFERENCE IN THE NEWSPAPER
RING THOROUGHLY TRUE. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) RAY MUNGOSHI’S EDITORSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT-
OWNED AND CONTROLLED “HERALD” LASTED ONLY 7 MONTHS.
HE WAS APPOINTED EDITOR ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2000, AND
SACKED ON MARCH 14, 2001. HE SUCCEEDED BORNWELL
CHAKAODZA, WHO HAD BEEN EDITOR FOR TWO-AND-A-HALF
YEARS. INFORMATION MINISTER JONATHAN MOYO SACKED
CHAKAODZA FOR HIS ATTEMPTS TO REBUILD THE “HERALD’S”
CREDIBILITY AFTER ITS SHAMELESSLY PARTISAN COVERAGE OF
THE JUNE 2000 PARLIAMENTARY CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION.
(NOTE: BETWEEN THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM OF
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 01177 01 OF 02 301119Z
FEBRUARY 2000 AND THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN LATE-
JUNE 2000, THE HERALD’S DAILY CIRCULATION PLUMMETED
FROM ABOUT 80,000 TO ABOUT 40,000. CHAKAODZA’S
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE EDITORIAL INTEGRITY OF THE
PAPER WERE DRIVEN BY FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS NEEDS.
HIS POLICIES DID SUCCEED IN RAISING THE CIRCULATION OF
THE “HERALD” BACK TO AROUND 70,000 COPIES PER DAY.
END NOTE)
¶3. (C) ACCORDING TO MUNGOSHI, HE ACCEPTED THE JOB
DETERMINED TO CONSOLIDATE RECENT GAINS IN CIRCULATION
AND KEEP THE “HERALD” FINANCIALLY VIABLE BY DEFENDING
IT FROM GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE. INITIALLY, HE SAID,
ZIMPAPERS (THE HOLDING COMPANY FOR ALL GOVERNMENT-
OWNED NEWSPAPERS) MANAGING DIRECTOR TOMMY SITHOLE
SHIELDED HIM FROM THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION. THAT
DID NOT LAST, HOWEVER, AND BY DECEMBER AND THE ZANU-PF
PARTY CONGRESS, INFORMATION MINISTER JONATHAN MOYO
CALLED MUNGOSHI ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS, USUALLY AT
ABOUT 0600 IN THE MORNING. MUNGOSHI SAID THAT THESE
CALLS OFTEN LASTED 30 TO 45 MINUTES, AND WERE OFTEN
ANGRY DIATRIBES ABOUT THE “HERALD’S” LACK OF SUPPORT
FOR THE GOVERNMENT. MOYO ALSO USED THESE PHONE CALLS
TO TELL MUNGOSHI WHAT THE NEXT DAY’S EDITORIAL SHOULD
BE, OR WHAT STORY HE WANTED TO SEE ON THE FIRST PAGE.
MUNGOSHI SAID THAT HE STOOD UP TO MOYO WHENEVER HE
COULD, BUT CONFESSED THAT THE PRESSURE WAS SOMETIMES
TOO MUCH AND HE WOULD “LIE LOW” FOR A WEEK OR TWO JUST
TO STOP THE EARLY MORNING RANTING.
¶4. (C) MUNGOSHI ALSO TOLD US THAT MINISTER MOYO WOULD
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 01177 01 OF 02 301119Z
SEND READY-TO-PRINT STORIES TO THE PAPER AND EXPECT TO
SEE THEM PUBLISHED WITHOUT QUESTION OR ALTERATIONS.
HE DESCRIBED ONE SPECIFIC INCIDENT IN WHICH MOYO SENT
A STORY ALLEGING THAT LEADING ZIMBABWEAN BUSINESSMAN
STRIVE MASIYIWA (ECONET CELLULAR) WAS INVOLVED IN
ILLEGAL FOREIGN EXCHANGE DEALINGS. MUNGOSHI, WHO
KNOWS THE BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN MASIYIWA AND BELIEVES
HIM TO BE AN HONEST, LAW-ABIDING MAN, DETAILED TWO
REPORTERS TO CONFIRM THE DETAILS OF THE STORY. THE
REPORTERS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO BASIS TO THE
STORY, SO MUNGOSHI REFUSED TO RUN IT. THAT DECISION
PROMPTED A BARRAGE OF VERBAL ABUSE FROM MOYO, WHO
APPARENTLY TOLD MUNGOSHI THAT HE HAD NO RIGHT TO
QUESTION ANY STORIES MOYO WISHED TO HAVE PUBLISHED IN
THE “HERALD.”
¶5. (C) IN THE WAKE OF THE MASIYIWA INCIDENT, MUNGOSHI
SAYS THAT HE BECAME ACCUSTOMED TO FINDING STORIES IN
THE NEWSPAPER THAT HE HAD NEVER BEFORE SEEN OR
APPROVED. MINISTER MOYO WENT DIRECTLY TO SUB-EDITORS
AND PRODUCTION STAFF TO HAVE STORIES PLACED IN THE
PAPER AFTER MUNGOSHI HAD APPROVED AN EDITION AND “PUT
IT TO BED.” MOYO’S BYPASSING OF MUNGOSHI HAD
DISASTROUS RESULTS ON MORALE AT THE PAPER AND SEVERELY
UNDERMINED WHAT MUNGOSHI SAYS WAS HIS DETERMINATION TO
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ6392
PAGE 01 HARARE 01177 02 OF 02 301120Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DINT-00 DODE-00
DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00
VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00
VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00
USIE-00 BBG-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /010W
——————D9488F 301120Z /38
R 301123Z MAR 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8540
INFO NSC WASHDC
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 001177
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S (KRAFT), AF/PD (COX, HOWARD, SANDERS)
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/11
TAGS: PGOV PROP PHUM KPAO PINR ZI
SUBJECT: FIRED GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER EDITOR DETAILS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 01177 02 OF 02 301120Z
STATE’S PROPAGANDA EFFORTS
MAKE THE “HERALD” A PAPER “FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF
ZIMBABWE.”
¶6. (C) TO HIS SURPRISE, MUNGOSHI WAS SELECTED BY MOYO
TO BE ONE OF THREE JOURNALISTS TO INTERVIEW PRESIDENT
MUGABE ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESIDENT’S BIRTHDAY.
THIS IS REGARDED AS AN HONOR RESERVED ONLY FOR THE
MOST TRUSTED AND LOYAL JOURNALISTS. MUNGOSHI TOOK
THIS AS A SIGNAL THAT MOYO HAD DECIDED TO CHANGE TACK
AND ALLOW THE “HERALD” GREATER INDEPENDENCE. THREE
WEEKS AFTER THE INTERVIEW, HOWEVER, MOYO DEMANDED
MUNGOSHI’S RESIGNATION. MUNGOSHI REFUSED TO RESIGN
AND MOYO PROMPTLY FIRED HIM. MUNGOSHI AND “SUNDAY
MAIL” (ALSO GOVERNMENT-OWNED) EDITOR FUNNY MUSHAVA
WERE FIRED ON THE SAME DAY, 10 DAYS AFTER MOYO SACKED
ZIMPAPERS MANAGING DIRECTOR SITHOLE. MINISTER MOYO
REPLACED BOTH EDITORS WITH MEN KNOWN TO BE SYMPATHETIC
TO THE MINISTER’S DESIRE TO USE THE GOVERNMENT-OWNED
MEDIA AS A BLATANT PROPAGANDA INSTRUMENT.
¶7. (C) COMMENT: MUNGOSHI’S ACCOUNT OF HIS EDITORSHIP
IS SOMEWHAT SELF-SERVING. HE PORTRAYS HIMSELF AS A
BRAVE DEFENDER OF MEDIA INDEPENDENCE, BUT THE
“HERALD’S” RECORD OF THE LAST 7 MONTHS DOES NOT OFFER
MUCH EVIDENCE OF INDEPENDENT REPORTING. NONETHELESS,
MUNGOSHI’S ACCOUNTS OF MINISTER MOYO’S HARASSMENT AND
EVENTUAL DE FACTO EDITORSHIP OF THE PAPER RING TRUE.
MUNGOSHI’S ACCOUNT CONFIRMS THE ARROGANCE AND
DESTRUCTIVE DETERMINATION OF INFORMATION MINISTER
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 01177 02 OF 02 301120Z
JONATHAN MOYO TO USE THE GOVERNMENT-OWNED MEDIA IN ANY
WAY HE CHOOSES TO PROMOTE PRO-GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDA
AND LIES. MUNGOSHI’S EXPERIENCE ALSO CONFIRMS THE
ENORMOUS POWER AND LATITUDE FOR ACTION INFORMATION
MINISTER MOYO CURRENTLY HAS IN ZIMBABWE.
¶8. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: MUNGOSHI IS REALISTIC WHEN
IT COMES TO HIS OWN FUTURE IN ZIMBABWE: “I’M FINISHED
AS A JOURNALIST IN THE COUNTRY,” HE SAYS. “WHO WOULD
HAVE ME NOW?” HE HAS TURNED DOWN REQUESTS FROM THE
BBC AND SABC FOR INTERVIEWS ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE AT
THE “HERALD,” PROBABLY WISE SINCE HE HAS A LAWYER
WORKING FULL TIME TO “ASSESS THE QUANTUM OF THE
DAMAGES” RELATED TO HIS FIRING. MUNGOSHI SAYS HE
WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO UNIVERSITY, GET A GRADUATE
DEGREE IN JOURNALISM, AND PERHAPS BECOME A PROFESSOR
OF JOURNALISM AT A ZIMBABWEAN UNIVERSITY. FOR THE
TIME BEING, HE IS WORKING ON ENGINEERING THE LARGEST
POSSIBLE SEVERANCE DEAL FROM ZIMPAPERS, AND BASKING IN
THE PLEASURE OF PEACEFUL EARLY MORNINGS. END COMMENT.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
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