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18 May 2008
By Herald Ndlovu
Lawyer and journalist-wannabe Itayi Garande has within the space of 2 months turned a promising website 'The Zimbabwe Guardian' into a trash writing government mouthpiece.
It is not lost on many who know this slippery character that before the March 29 poll he for the want of a better word belonged to the world of the 'sane' and spoke against Mugabe's regime.
Under the cover of freedom of speech and covering alternative views Garande is now competing with the Herald to see who can lick Mugabe's dirty bum the cleanest.
Those who know Garande and his weekly contributions to SW Radio Africa's Reporters Forum programme will be shocked at his conversion to the Zanu PF religion.
Before the elections Garande slammed the scourge of violence, spoke passionately about how Mugabe rigged elections and even praised Morgan Tsvangirai for his courage in standing up to Mugabe.
Reading his articles now, one can see that he made a u-turn at exactly the time Zanu PF lost the elections and Bright Matonga (Deputy Information Minister and Garande's close friend) rose to prominence in the ministry.
It is also a public secret that Garande is friends with sports fitness 'guru' and Zanu PF activist Themba Mliswa and Minister Bright Matonga. He also speaks regularly with Mugabe spokesman George Charamba. Its also widely rumoured that Garande wants to open the Zimbabwe Guardian newspaper in Zimbabwe by the end of December.
It is not this writers intention to accuse on the basis of circumstancial evidence but it does look like Garande has offered his services to the Mugabe regime from the way he is constantly defending them. Whether he is being paid for it or he simply believes in the Zanu PF cause is subject to speculation and another matter all together.
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