The video of President Emmerson Mnangagwa which appeared on the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) 8 pm news bulletin sometime in April, where he told the nation that the controversial Drax International had donated US$60 million worth of medical equipment for the fight against COVID-19 has ended the public broadcaster’s staff members in trouble.
Drax International is involved in a corruption scandal that has prejudiced the country of millions of dollars. A letter that was written by the director of news and current affairs Gilbert Nyambabvu instructed the ZBC human resources and administration director to suspend cameraman Stan Marodza without pay. The letter reads in part:
Following preliminary investigations, I am of the opinion that cameraman S Marodza committed gross misconduct in violation of section 11:25 of the ZBC employment code of conduct.
Marodza is the one who took the video clip and was accused by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana of sneaking the video onto the main news bulletin.
The video which shows president standing next to Drax International frontman, Delish Nguwaya emerged when the first family had vainly tried to dissociate itself from the company.
Although Nyambabvu alleges that the video had been banned for poor quality, Mangwana claims the clip was banned after it turned out the president had been misled into believing that a donation of US$60 million had been made to the government.
In the video, Mnangagwa says he made a personal appeal to Drax International to support the fight against COVID-19 adding that the company donated US$60 million.
More: NewsDay