Editor Explains “May His Soul Rest in Eternal Peace” Error in ZDF Birthday Ad for President Mnangagwa

Editor Explains “May His Soul Rest in Eternal Peace” Error in ZDF Birthday Ad for President Mnangagwa

Guthrie Munyuki, editor of the Daily News, has shed light on how the Financial Gazette mishandled an advertisement from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) congratulating President Mnangagwa on his birthday.

The Financial Gazette ran an advertisement from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) congratulating President Emmerson Mnangagwa on his birthday and ended with a startling phrase: “May his soul rest in eternal peace.” The unfortunate error led many to believe that the ad implied the President had passed away.

The mix-up quickly became a talking point on social media, with many poking fun at the blunder. In response, Modus Media, the publisher of both the Daily News and the Financial Gazette, swiftly issued a formal apology to both President Mnangagwa and the ZDF.

Editor Explains “May His Soul Rest in Eternal Peace” Error

In an interview with ZBC News, Daily News editor Guthrie Munyuki explained that the mistake occurred when a designer accidentally used an old template. He revealed that the template was previously used for a condolence message.

“The advert was actually congratulating the President for having turned 82. But unfortunately, we made a mortifying blunder. One of our designers picked up an old template so that she could get the correct symbols and court of arms of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. But unfortunately, the template that she had picked was the one where ZDF had previously expressed a condolence message to one of the fallen heroes and so she removed the old text and put in the new text but without checking that there was still something that she had to do on the foot of the advert and that was “May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Manyuki explained.

Meeting at State House: Apology Accepted

In the aftermath of the mistake, Munyuki and other executives from Modus Media met with President Mnangagwa, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri, and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) chief Isaac Moyo at State House to personally apologise for the error.

According to reports, the President took the mistake in stride and graciously accepted the apology. In a humorous moment during the meeting, President Mnangagwa even joked, “Where are the flowers for the dead man?” His spokesperson, George Charamba, shared the light-hearted remark, showing the President’s good-natured response to the situation.

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