Moyo was fired by President Mugabe after his decision to contest as an independent in the March 31 elections. Moyo wants the Tsholotsho constituency, his rural home.

Despite his setback, Moyo bragged that he helped save a sinking ship over the five years he served Mugabe's government and party.

The ruling Zanu PF was shaken by Morgan Tsvangirai's newly formed party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which almost ended its reign in the 2000 parliamentary and 2002 presidential elections.

President Mugabe's Zanu PF party survived -thanks to Moyo's tight grip and manipulation of the public media and restrictive media laws he crafted to silence the independent press.

Moyo's laws adopted in 2002 also bars foreign correspondents from operating inside Zimbabwe. All propaganda materials were drafted in Moyo's office.

Moyo, known to work for long hours and his hands-on approach, also helped produce songs and jingles that promoted the image of the Zanu PF government.

He also banned international music from the airwaves and organised several galas to celebrate national occasions.

Moyo, boasted in a statement to a government-controlled weekly after his dismissal,: "I am sure history and posterity will record the fact that my service to the president started at a time when the presidency, the ruling party and our nation were individually and collectively facing an unprecedented onslaught from a number of hostile foreign interests and powers.

"I am very pleased that I had the honour and privilege to be one of the very few ... who played pivotal roles in the fight to preserve, defend and protect Zimbabwe's sovereignty and democracy," he said.

The 48-year old former university lecturer, who made a dramatic about-turn from fierce critic to Mugabe's loudest cheerleader, rose rapidly through party ranks to become one of the president's closest advisers and spin doctors.

After his sacking, Moyo appeared unmoved. He told a government-controlled weekly, in a statement, that he was better off as an independent election candidate than a "hostage to the whims and caprices of the politics of patronage".

Moyo said he accepted the decision by President Mugabe to fire him from his Cabinet, Parliament and party "with humility and respect" and that it came as no surprise.

"I had come to accept that it was sunset, and the letter from the president ... was most definitely on the way," said Moyo, in the statement published in the state-run weekly.

"I had also come to understand and appreciate that it is far better to be with the people and to work for them than to be hostage to the whims and caprices of the politics of patronage," he said.

In a short statement announcing Moyo's dismissal, President Mugabe said: "Contrary to the rules and procedures of Zanu-PF, the Minister of State for Information and Publicity, and until recently also Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity in the Party, Professor Jonathan Moyo, yesterday (Friday) decided to stand as an independent candidate for Tsholotsho constituency in the forthcoming election set for March 31 this year.

"By that action, Professor Moyo has automatically ceased to be a member of Zanu-PF, the party which sponsored him into its Government as a Cabinet minister in the first place.

"Accordingly, as a direct consequence of that step which he took yesterday, Professor Moyo also ceases to be both a Member of Parliament and a Minister of my Government forthwith, with all the benefits associated with those responsibilities standing withdrawn with immediate effect."