The Ministry of Information Media and Broadcasting Services portfolio is set to be phased out and replaced by a mere department in the President’s office the Zimbabwean reported.

President Robert Mugabe last week transferred Jonathan Moyo from the Ministry of Information to that of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, leaving Public Service, Labour and Social Services minister Prisca Mupfumira holding fort in an acting capacity in a move described by observers as unprecedented and eyebrow raising.

Inside sources said this week that the ministry would now be relegated to a department in the President’s office – superintended by presidential spokesperson and incumbent permanent secretary, George Charamba.

“There is now a strong feeling within the Zanu-PF leadership that the information ministry should be abolished and a department headed by a neutral person who is not tainted by any party factional links,” said a ministry source who refused to be named for fear of victimisation. He accused Moyo of using the ministry to fan factional power battles through the public media, saying “factional fighting has destroyed the party”.

In April last year, former Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono allegedly confided in Mugabe that the ministry of information had blacklisted him from appearing in the public media.

Responding to Gono‘s claims Moyo said ” They say some people are on the blacklist and the blacklist comes from the ministry; why should we have a blacklist as if it’s a credit facility? I was shocked when my good friend, the former governor suggested there are people who don’t want him covered.” Source: zimbabwean