Staff Reporter
The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has accused NewsDay of publishing defamatory and false allegations aimed at tarnishing the image of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, describing the claims as calculated to undermine national cohesion and stability.
The accusations follow the publication of an article on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, titled "Mnangagwa turns to parallel structures."
In a strongly worded statement released on November 27, 2024, by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications, George Charamba, the OPC dismissed the allegations as "malicious falsehoods" designed to create disquiet within Zanu Pf and security structures.
The article had alleged that President Mnangagwa was plotting to breach the Constitution by extending his term limit “via the back door” and enlisting “parallel structures” outside Zanu PF arms.
“These are very serious allegations, calculated to place the President in dis-esteem and undermine national cohesion. Repeatedly, the President has been on public record stating and re-stating that he has no intention or ambition to serve beyond the term mandated by the National Constitution. Today’s article was inspired by the urge to slander the Head of State and spread alarm and despondency through falsehoods,” the statement read.
The OPC emphasized that NewsDay’s claims of parallel structures are baseless, noting that Zanu PF’s Constitution provides for affiliate groups and interests, which cannot be labeled as parallel structures.
The OPC demanded that the NewsDay editor retract the story within seven publishing days and warned of legal action if the newspaper fails to comply.
“This is the second time in a short period that this newspaper has published falsehoods against His Excellency. The Office respects media freedoms granted by the Constitution but stresses that publishing blatant lies is not protected under the law,” Charamba said.
The statement also highlighted that NewsDay’s continued publication of such falsehoods damages not only the President's image but also undermines public trust in the media.
A local university lecturer, who declined to be named, criticized NewsDay’s editorial standards.
"It is high time NewsDay invested in qualified editors who adhere to the principles and ethics of journalism. The paper is increasingly offside, and these blunders are becoming costly to its credibility," the lecturer said.
Meanwhile, the incident has reignited calls for accountability and adherence to journalistic ethics in the media industry.
