(MISA/IFEX) – “The Standard” reports that the government has ordered journalists from the “Herald” and the Harare-based Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) to cover the ruling party’s election campaign in Bulawayo and Matebeleland province, complaining of a lack of patriotism on the part of journalists working for Zimpapers and ZBC in Bulawayo. The government has allegedly […]
(MISA/IFEX) – “The Standard” reports that the government has ordered journalists from the “Herald” and the Harare-based Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) to cover the ruling party’s election campaign in Bulawayo and Matebeleland province, complaining of a lack of patriotism on the part of journalists working for Zimpapers and ZBC in Bulawayo.
The government has allegedly accused the daily “Chronicle” and the weekly “Sunday News” (both state-owned papers based in Bulawayo) of giving wide coverage to rallies staged by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, while the local ZBC and Zimbabwe Inter-Africa News Agency (ZIANA) offices were also attacked for not giving adequate coverage to Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) activities in the region. As a result of the government’s lack of trust in the Bulawayo state journalists, the government has assigned Harare state journalists to cover the party’s political rallies in Matebeland, according to “The Standard”.
Minister of Information Chen Chimutengwende has refuted the allegations and called them “complete lies.” He also denied allegations that he was directing operations at Zimpapers and ZBC.
The bureau chief of ZIANA’s Bulawayo office, Patrice Makova, confirmed to MISA-Zimbabwe in a telephone interview that what “The Standard” had reported was true. Efforts to get comments from “The Chronicle” and “The Sunday News” were fruitless.
