A top level Zanu PF committee is considering asking President Robert Mugabe to dismiss his propaganda chief, Jonathan Moyo, party sources revealed.

The committee comprising state and party vice-president Joseph Msika, party chairman John Nkomo and information secretary Nathan Shamuyarira, was set up earlier this month to probe Moyo’s conduct in government and in the party. Msika refused to discuss the issue when contacted for comment, only saying: “There will be procedures to be followed over that matter and at appropriate stages measures will be implemented.”

According to the sources, Msika and his colleagues have already met twice to deliberate on Moyo’s fate and would soon be submitting a recommendation that Moyo be dismissed as government Information Minister and as Zanu PF’s deputy information secretary.

One top Zanu PF official, who did not want to be named, said: “Moyo’s issue was handled at cabinet level where it was agreed that the guy has caused a lot of problems. The committee is clear on its mandate, which is to achieve results before the (Zanu PF) congress in December, and I think it is likely to recommend that Moyo be stripped of his position both in the party and in government.

He has especially been using his hold on the state media to attack senior officials and cause chaos and mayhem.” Moyo was handpicked by Mugabe as member of parliament under a clause in the constitution allowing the president to nominate 30 people into the 150-member house. He is widely criticised for effectively using his position as Minister of Information to compensate for his lack of a personal power base within Zanu PF.