Mnangagwa had ordered arrest of Financial Gazette staff over mistaken death announcement
HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa had issued an arrest order on staff at The Financial Gazette following an error in an advert that mistakenly suggested the president had passed, according to cryptic Twitter posts by Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba.
Charamba, using his cryptic Twitter handle, revealed that the Modus Group, owners of The Financial Gazette, hurriedly issued an apology, likely unaware that Mnangagwa possessed constitutional powers to detain suspects for seven days without court intervention, or that he had already directed the CIO to apprehend and hold them in custody.
The mistake by The Financial Gazette was compared to a similar government-media confrontation earlier this year involving Alpha Media Holdings (AMH). However, the nature of Mnangagwa’s response to the Modus Group stood out for its light-hearted handling of the incident.
Reflecting on the Modus Group’s apology, Charamba tweeted: “The Modus Group, wryly suggested the President, needed to send a wreath to State House; and since he was already dead, he suggested the wreath be given to his Principal Private Secretary, Amai Msindo!! All of us – offenders and defenders – roared with laughter!!” Mnangagwa’s humorous tone diffused tensions that could have escalated due to the serious nature of the error.”
Charamba revealed further that Mnangagwa, jokingly, had issued an arrest order for the Modus Group staff. “Did the Modus Group know that he had powers in the Constitution which allowed him to detain suspects for seven-long days without Courts asking? Or that he had instructed CIO to collect them and deposit them in detention?” Mnangagwa quipped. The Chief of Intelligence, Isaac Moyo, humorously chimed in, “My guys are actually waiting by the gates of State House to effect an arrest as directed!”
The tense atmosphere was lifted further when Mnangagwa humorously rescinded the arrest order, saying, “THE ORDER IS HEREBY RESCINDED!” according to Charamba. The group erupted into laughter, easing the situation.
Charamba used the incident to emphasize the importance of leadership temperament in media-government relations. “We must resist the temptation to seek to be in the good graces of our Principals through stoking tensions and inventing conspiracies. Mistakes do happen in the media, as in any other sector including Government,” he noted.
He encouraged media houses to acknowledge and correct errors quickly, stating, “Apologies do not presage weakness; quite the contrary, they are the hallmark of great publications, and do build reader trust.”
Charamba also praised the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) and the Modus Group for their handling of the crisis. “Each mistake/error is a learning opportunity for the Industry. I pay unstinting tribute to the Modus Group for showing unchallenged leadership in the Industry,” he said.
The Financial Gazette’s blunder involved an advertisement from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, which was meant to congratulate Mnangagwa on his birthday. However, the advert concluded with the phrase, “May his soul rest in eternal peace,” erroneously implying that the president had died.
Daily News editor Guthrie Munyuki explained in an interview with ZBC that the error stemmed from the use of an old template. “One of our designers picked up an old template where ZDF had previously expressed a condolence message… unfortunately, she missed the foot of the advert which still read, ‘May his soul rest in eternal peace,’” Munyuki said.
Munyuki, alongside Modus Media executives, met with Mnangagwa, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri, and CIO chief Isaac Moyo at State House to formally apologize for the mishap. Mnangagwa reportedly accepted the apology and, in a moment of levity, asked, “Where are the flowers for the dead man?”
