HARARE, (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe yesterday branded his information minister a “devil incarnate”, accusing him of appointing editors of state-owned newspapers who were sympathetic to the opposition. Zimbabwe’s private media say an intense battle to succeed the 90-year-old Mugabe has sucked in the state-owned press.
Vice-President Joice Mujuru and Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangangwa are seen as the frontrunners, while the veteran leader, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, has said the contest is open to other ZANU-PF leaders as well.
Mugabe said Jonathan Moyo, appointed information minister last year, was using the government-controlled newspapers to sow divisions.
“I am saying this in light of what is happening now. When you have our minister of information wanting to pit people one against another, you don’t do things like that,” Mugabe said in remarks broadcast on state-owned radio.
