The Zimbabwe Independent has retracted a story it published recently claiming that John Mangudya and Mthuli Ncube had a clash in a meeting over policy issues.
The paper says the article was “based on wrong and unverified information”. Zimbabwe Independent says it remains committed to professionalism. We publish their retraction below:
In our February 15 edition and a story head-lined Ncube, Mangudya in heated exchange, we reported that Finance minister Mthuli Ncube and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe John Mangudya had clashes and heated exchanges in a meeting over policy issues.
The story, based on what initially appeared like credible information, claimed the officials had a fierce confrontation over monetary policy and currency reform issues.
However, after further checks and verifications it has since emerged the story was based on wrong and unverified information. We therefore freely, unconditionally and unreservedly retract it and apologise to the officials concerned.
Any inconvenience which might have been caused is sincerely regretted. In the process, we would like to assure our stakeholders— mainly readers and advertisers — that we have strong and enduring ethical codes and internal systems to ensure professional and quality journalism remains our forte.
As professional and ethical journalists, we must and will continue to relentlessly pursue independent reporting free of political, commercial or any other interests, and undue interferences. We will ferret, and report on, facts and truth without fear or favour; no matter how difficult or unpleasant it might be. We have to get it first, but first get it right.
This means being the first with critical news, but, before that, checking and verifying our material, information, facts, evidence and proof is indispensable. After all, journalism is ultimately a science of verification.
We remain fully committed to the core principles of ethical journalism — truth, accuracy, fairness, impartiality and responsibility — professional charters and internal codes which protect high standards, values and obligations of our profession. — Editor.
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