HARARE – The ZBC’s former head of news and current affairs Tazzen Mandizvidza has landed a job as director for content development at the ministry of information.
The appointment was confirmed by Nick Mangwana, the secretary in the ministry.
In his new role, Mandizvidza is expected to “oversee the communication infrastructure of the government” and “supervise content development for various communication platforms.”
He will also “oversee galas, festivals and exhibitions” and develop a “public sector information portal” while managing the ministry’s content producers for social media communications.
The job is a new position in the ministry, and Mandizvidza will get a deputy whose appointment is also imminent.
Mandizvidza was twice suspended by the ZBC after he was implicated in financial mismanagement.
He was first suspended in 2014 with then acting CEO Allan Chiweshe as part of a probe into financial misconduct by top ZBC executives which cost the state broadcaster US$7 million.
Mandizvidza was rescued by his political connections and allowed to keep the job on condition he pays back US$1,083,000.
He had failed to do so by October last year, and he was suspended once again. In a letter informing him of his suspension, the then ZBC CEO Patrick Mavhura also accused Mandizvidza of writing a letter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in January 2018 “raising employment-related grievances against your superiors and consequently undermining the employment relationship as well as your duty of subordination.”
The ZBC appointed Gilbert Nyambabvu as the new head of news and current affairs in March.
