INDEPENDENT WEEKLY GETS NEW EDITOR

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