Inside the ZBC Power Struggle: Ministerial Reshuffle, Boardroom Battles, and the Fight for Control of State Media

EXCLUSIVE:

By HarryTaruva in Sydney, Australia. | Investigative Report| Harare

A dramatic confrontation within Zimbabwe’s state media establishment has exposed deep institutional tensions involving the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), the Ministry of Information and Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), triggering Ministerial reassignments, boardroom upheaval and the suspension of a senior journalist.

Interviews with multiple senior officials, internal correspondence and public institutional actions point to an escalating struggle over governance, editorial direction and financial oversight at the country’s national broadcaster.

While government officials have publicly framed recent developments as routine administrative adjustments, internal accounts suggest a far more complex sequence of events unfolding behind the scenes.

The Trigger: Dismissal and Immediate Reversal

The confrontation entered public view on February 2, 2026, when then Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Jenfan Muswere, issued a formal letter dissolving the ZBC Board citing alleged corporate governance failures.

The dismissal invoked provisions of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act and cited concerns relating to executive appointments, financial oversight and procurement procedures.

However, within days, President Emmerson Mnangagwa reassigned Muswere from the influential Information Ministry to the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development in a Cabinet reshuffle announced on February 9, 2026.

No official explanation was provided for the reassignment

Multiple senior government and media sources confirmed that the reversal reflected intervention at the highest levels following concerns about the circumstances surrounding the board’s removal.

The situation intensified following publication of a Zimbabwe Independent article, alleging that US$52 million in licence fee revenues could not be fully accounted for at ZBC.

The report triggered widespread attention and appeared to validate concerns raised in Muswere’s dismissal letter.

However, the Ministry of Information swiftly issued a formal statement rejecting the claims as “falsehoods and malicious insinuations,” stating that no government or forensic audit had identified any financial irregularities.

Soon after, the Zimbabwe Independent issued a formal apology to the ZBC Board, acknowledging that the claims had not been supported by verified audit findings.

“We accept that there has been no government or forensic audit establishing malpractice in relation to these funds,” the publication’s editor wrote.

The article was subsequently removed from the newspaper’s online platforms.

In a further escalation, the reporter who authored the original story, Freeman Makopa, was suspended pending an internal investigation.

Sources within AMH confirmed that the suspension forms part of efforts to determine how the disputed information entered the public domain.

Internal Disagreements Over Content, Governance, and Authority

Interviews with current and former ZBC officials, Ministry personnel and individuals familiar with internal deliberations indicate that tensions between the Ministry and the ZBC Board had been building for months prior to the dismissal.

According to several individuals with direct knowledge of internal discussions, disagreements emerged over strategic direction, financial oversight and operational autonomy.

One senior official said differences had surfaced over procurement processes, content commissioning and administrative authority.

“There were ongoing disagreements about governance processes, financial reporting, and institutional roles,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Other officials described tensions over the Ministry’s involvement in operational and strategic decisions traditionally handled by the board and executive management.

These tensions reportedly intensified in early 2026.

Questions Around Financial Reporting and Institutional Oversight

Sources familiar with internal financial discussions indicated that questions had been raised regarding licence fee revenues generated following the introduction of the vehicle-linked licensing system.

Government officials have maintained publicly that all revenues remain subject to routine audit procedures and parliamentary oversight.

ZBC is currently scheduled for its regular annual audit, expected to be completed and presented to Parliament later this year.

Officials emphasised that no formal audit has yet established financial misconduct.

“The audit process is ongoing and will provide definitive answers,” one official said.

Political and Institutional Sensitivities

The episode has highlighted the strategic importance of ZBC within Zimbabwe’s political and governance framework.

As the country’s primary public broadcaster, ZBC plays a central role in national communication, public information dissemination, and political messaging.

Institutional leadership and oversight of the broadcaster therefore carry significant administrative and political weight.

Analysts say leadership changes within the Ministry and ZBC cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader political environment.

“Control of information infrastructure has always been strategically important,” said one senior media analyst.

“Leadership disputes within that space inevitably attract high-level attention.”

Fallout Extends to the Media Sector

The suspension of the Zimbabwe Independent reporter has added a new dimension to the unfolding situation.

Media freedom advocates and journalists’ associations are monitoring developments closely, noting the sensitivity of reporting on governance issues involving state institutions.

While AMH has confirmed the suspension, it has not publicly disclosed the scope or expected timeline of its internal investigation.

What Happens Next

Several key developments are now expected to shape the next phase of the situation:

* Completion of ZBC’s scheduled audit

* Outcome of AMH’s internal investigation

* Continued oversight by the Ministry of Information

* Stability of ZBC’s board and executive leadership

Government officials have reiterated their commitment to institutional stability, transparency, and adherence to established governance procedures.

A Rare Glimpse Behind Institutional Walls

While official statements have emphasised administrative continuity, the sequence of dismissals, reinstatements, reshuffles, media reports, apologies, and investigations has provided a rare glimpse into the internal dynamics shaping Zimbabwe’s state media institutions.

At its core, the episode illustrates the high stakes surrounding governance of national information infrastructure.

And as investigations continue, further clarity may emerge about the decisions, tensions and institutional pressures that brought Zimbabwe’s state broadcaster to the centre of one of the most consequential media governance confrontations in recent years.