US embassy cable - 02HARARE2616

UNCLAS HARARE 002616 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA, AF/PDPA 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: INDEPENDENT WEEKLY GETS NEW EDITOR 
 
 
1. The privately owned weekly "Financial Gazette" has na 
   Nqobile Nyathi, 29, as editor.  Nyathi replaces veter 
   journalist Francis Mdlongwa who led the "FinGaz" from 
   1997 to 2002.  Nyathi is the first woman and the 
   youngest editor-in-chief of an independent newspaper 
   Zimbabwe. 
 
2. Nyathi joined the "FinGaz" in 1997 after completing a 
   certificate in journalism at the Harare Polytechnic, 
   Zimbabwe's primary media training institution.  Befor 
   becoming editor-in-chief she was the paper's news 
   editor, a position she had held since mid-2001.  In 
   other staff changes at the "FinGaz" Abel Mutsakani, 3 
   becomes Deputy Editor-in-Chief; Sydney Masamvu, 30, 
   Assistant Editor; and MacDonald Dzirutwe, 24, Busines 
   News Editor.  All four are promotions from within and 
   are journalists with solid records of editorial 
   independence. 
 
3. The staffing changes at the "FinGaz" were precipitate 
   by the sudden resignation of former editor-in-chief 
   Francis Mdlongwa.  Under Mdlongwa's leadership the 
   "FinGaz" became one of the most respected papers in 
   Zimbabwe, a paper with complete editorial independenc 
   His resignation was the result of change of ownership 
   and a failed attempt by Mdlongwa to put together a 
   consortium of investors to buy the "FinGaz."  Ownersh 
   of the newspaper has passed to an anonymous group of 
   investors, one of whom is rumored to be Gideon Gono, 
   chairman of the government-associated Commercial Bank 
   Zimbabwe.  Gono has acknowledged playing a role in th 
   purchase of the paper but denies being the sole sourc 
   of financing.  Regular readers of the "FinGaz" will b 
   watching for editorial changes under the new owners. 
 
SULLIVAN