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ZIMBABWE
State of the media in Southern Africa 2002
about our country,” said the unidentified
spokesperson.
According to the December 28 edition
of “The Daily News”, the youths,
some as young as ten years old, said
they had taken their instructions from
ZANU-PF Chairperson for Masvingo
and Higher Education, Minister
Samuel Mumbengegwi.
Mumbengegwi is reported to have
watched the mayhem from a distance.
“We have banned the sale of ‘The
Daily News’ from Masvingo. The paper
is writing bad news about the ruling
party and we no longer want to see
it on the streets,” said some of the
youths quoted in “The Daily News”.
The newspaper reports that some of
the hired youths were not even sure
why they were destroying copies of
“The Daily News”. “We were hired to
do this, but I am sure we are demonstrating
against corruption,” said one
of the youths quoted in “The Daily
News”.
Although a report was made to the
police about the destruction of the
newspapers, the police stood by idly
as the youths continued their rampage.
ALERT
DATE: 2002-01-09
INSTITUTION(S): CNN
VIOLATION(S): Censored
Zimbabwe’s Minister of State for Information
and Publicity Jonathan
Moyo has banned a CNN news bulletin
from being aired by the national
broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation (ZBC). The twentyminute
programme was aired daily.
In response to a question from an
opposition member of parliament in
parliament on Wednesday December
20, 2001, Moyo said that CNN was
dropped in line with government
policy. Moyo said that the ban is also
in line with the restructuring of the
ZBC.
ALERT
DATE: 2002-01-10
INSTITUTION(S): Independent
media, foreign correspondents
VIOLATION(S): Threatened
Zimbabwean Army General Vitalis
Zvinavashe has warned the independent
media and foreign correspondents
of dire consequences if they continue
to report negatively about the Zimbabwean
government, human rights
abuses and the security forces’ actions.
Addressing a press conference attended
by Zimbabwe’s top military,
police and intelligence brass,
Zvinavashe said the independent media
and foreign correspondents are involved
in a campaign to demonise the
security forces by undermining Zimbabwe’s
security and peace.
Zvinavashe claimed that over the
past two years there has been an increase
in speculative, imaginary and
false articles by both the independent
media and foreign journalists. “The
statements have caused insecurity, uncertainty,
confusion, and tarnished the
credibility of the country’s security
arms,” he stated.
He also said that there is a need for
the media to make a distinction between
political and security institutions.
Zvinavashe cited examples of
what he claimed were false reports,
including the alleged looting of resources
in the Democratic Republic of
Congo by the Zimbabwean government
and top military officers, includ-
So This Is Democracy? 179