New Zimbabwe.com founder Mduduzi Mathuthu has been being sacked as editor of The Southern Times, less than a year after he was demoted from his position as editor of the state-owned Chronicle newspaper, theZimbabwenewslive.com can exclusively reveal.
The controversial editor was given marching orders on Monday. Zimpapers Group insiders who spoke to this publication said Mathuthu was fired long back when he was pushed from the Chronicle and sent to Namibia.
Mathuthu ‘s sacking has been triggered by a story analysing Zimbabwe’s relationship with China. The headline “This way Mr President. Zanu PF must learn from China.. ” did not go down well with the ruling Zanu PF party establishment.
The front page article further bluntly commented; “The major talking points within Zanu PF and within the Chinese Communist Party conferences could not be more different. China used to be like us, until they got tired of mediocrity.”
“This is just the final nail in a coffin that was prepared long ago.It’s a shot at Jonathan Moyo who brought the boy from England. Mathuthu criticised President Mugabe during his time in United Kingdom “, said a senior Zanu PF source.
In May last year Mathuthu was demoted from his position as editor of the state-owned Chronicle newspaper and told to pack his bags and head to Namibia to become editor of the little-known Southern Times newspaper based in Windhoek. The Southern Times is a joint venture between the Namibian and Zimbabwean governments.
Seen as a pioneering anti-government critic who led the internet revolution when he founded the UK based New Zimbabwe.com website, Mathuthu shocked many when he agreed to leave the UK and head back to Zimbabwe to edit a state owned newspaper.
His close relationship with the then Information Minister Jonathan Moyo was to many the reason why he was appointed to the post. Moyo was demoted to the Higher Education Ministry and it appears his proteges are being purged one by one.
Mathuthu exposed himself when he persued factional politics at the expense of Zanupf and Team Lacoste.
He posted online sensitive messages that placed Emmerson Mnangagwa in the frontline of Gukurahundi war crimes.
He also permitted damaging news stories against Johannes Tomana a key Lacoste frontman.