IN May this year, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) told us that Zimbabwe had slumped seven places from 130 in 2021 to 137 this year on the World Press Freedom Index.
“Acts of intimidation, verbal attacks and threats (especially on social media) are still common practices,” said RSF as it highlighted some of the challenges being faced by Zimbabwean journalists.
And little wonder why the country ranks this low in terms of Press freedom when even State security, for no specified reason, bars some sections of the media from attending and covering events of national interest.
On Monday this week, six journalists from Alpha Media Holdings, the publishers of NewsDay, The Independent, The Standard, Weekly Digest and an online television Heart and Soul; and one DailyNews reporter were kicked out of State House under unclear circumstances.
This is a serious indictment for a regime that is currently preaching peace and tolerance to all citizenty.
In fact, it is the highest state of intolerance for any government to stop registered media practitioners from covering State events. If reasons were given, this would have made life easier for the ejected journalists; that is if the reporters had committed some heinous crime against the State in the first place.
Does it mean that reporters under the AMH stable are no longer welcome at all State functions? If this is now the case, we believe it would be prudent on the part of government to inform us in writing and give the reasons for this very sad and disturbing development.
This coming from a government we sincerely believed was led by a listening President, who is as soft as wool and eager not to leave anyone behind, is utterly shocking.
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We, however, would like to believe that there could be some overzealous State security personnel at State House who are completely oblivious of the consequences of muzzling the Press in such a brazen manner in front of a whole world at this very critical time in our young democracy.
This incident has really left us more than bamboozled, especially when our very dear Information, Publicity and Broadcasting minister Monica Mutsvangwa (pictured) keeps telling us that all Zimbabwean journalists should never feel threatened or hamstrung to do their job.
Recently she passionately told us that “the right for freedom of expression has two dimensions; namely freedom to seek and receive information and the freedom to impart information”.
She added: “Government reaffirms the importance of rule of law to combat impunity in cases of attacks on freedom of expression and journalism… the Second Republic has put in measures that guarantee the full enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the media as well as the right of access to information. To that end, my ministry has repealed AIPPA (Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act) that curtailed the work of our journalists or that brought some limitations on free speech. It has replaced AIPPA with the Freedom of Information Act (Chapter 10:33). This new law provides for the right to freedom of information and freedom of the media as well as the right of access to information. Furthermore, the new dispensation has managed to create a relaxed environment in which free speech is enjoyed by our general citizenry.”
Minister, it is very sad that Monday’s events don’t seem to speak to the new dispensation’s very nobble thrust as far as Press freedom is concerned. This will do more harm than good to the ideals of the new dispensation. We believe, justifiably so, that independent and free media are vital logs in strengthening any democracy.
