Journalist barred from covering ZANU-PF election
(MISA/IFEX) – “The Daily News” reporter Pedzisai Ruhanya was barred from covering the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party’s Harare provincial elections as war veterans accused the daily paper of being “an enemy of war veterans and the party,” “The Daily News” reported on 2 April 2001. Two people who identified themselves as […]
Minister sues “The Daily News”
(MISA/IFEX) – Minister of State for Information and Publicity Jonathan Moyo has filed a Z$450,000 (US$8,000) lawsuit against “The Daily News” for publishing alleged defamatory articles about him, “The Herald” reported on 30 March 2001. In the papers filed on 29 March at the High Court by Moyo’s lawyer, “The Daily News” Editor-in-chief Geoffrey Nyarota, […]
Broadcasting regulations read in parliament for first time
(MISA/IFEX) – On 26 March 2001, the Broadcasting Services Bill was read for the first time in Parliament, “The Herald” reported. Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Patrick Chinamasa, who is also the leader of the house, apparently requested that the standing rules requiring the legal committee to look into bills for twenty-six days […]
CPJ delegation meets Zimbabwean ambassador, deplores worsening press conditions
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 20 March 2001 CPJ press release: CPJ DELEGATION MEETS ZIMBABWEAN AMBASSADOR U.S. advocacy group deplores worsening press conditions under Mugabe regime New York, March 20, 2001 — A delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today met with Zimbabwean ambassador to the United States Simbi Mubako in Washington, […]
Newspapers to be brought before parliament as legal committee member defends report
(MISA/IFEX) – “The Daily News” and the “Zimbabwe Independent” are to be brought before parliament for allegedly trying to mislead the public over proceedings in the House on the adverse report on broadcasting regulations presented by the Parliamentary Legal Committee, “The Herald” reported on Saturday 17 March 2001. In a statement issued on Friday 16 […]
Minister and attorney general defend broadcasting regulations
(MISA/IFEX) – Minister of Justice, Parliament and Legal Affairs Patrick Chinamasa and Attorney General Andrew Chigovera have dismissed the Parliamentary Legal Committee report on broadcasting regulations as null and void, “The Herald” and “The Daily News” have reported. Speaking in parliament, Chinamasa said that the adverse report prepared by the committee declaring some sections of […]
Unions condemn death threats against journalist
(MISA/IFEX) – Unions representing Zimbabwean journalists this week condemned a death threat made against journalist Njabulo Ncube by a war veteran leader, “The Financial Gazette” has reported. Ncube, a reporter with “The Financial Gazette”, is the paper’s bureau chief in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city. On Saturday 10 March 2001, a war veteran leader in […]
Newspaper threatened by government department
(MISA/IFEX) – The President’s Office’s Department of Information and Publicity has threatened and castigated “The Daily News” for alleged malicious reporting on the recent events surrounding President Robert Mugabe’s visit to Belgium. In a press statement copied to “The Daily News”, the department said that a 6 March 2001 article published in the newspaper about […]
Journalists required to produce qualifications for accreditation under proposed bill
(MISA/IFEX) – Journalists will be required to produce professional qualifications before being issued press cards under the proposed accreditation regulations, “The Herald” reported on Friday 9 March 2001. Minister of State for Information and Publicity Jonathan Moyo said the requirement was one of the proposals under consideration as the government reviews accreditation regulations. He said […]
Member of parliament blasts ZANU-PF over broadcasting legislation
(MISA/IFEX) – On Thursday 8 March 2001, Masvingo South Member of Parliament (MP) Eddison Zvobgo accused the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) of trying to introduce unconstitutional and irrational laws governing public broadcasting in Zimbabwe. Zvobgo, who was heckled by Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Patrick Chinamasa while debating the regulations in […]
Government gives no safety guarantee to journalists amid restrictions on foreign media
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ media release: Zimbabwe Government Gives No Safety Guarantee to Journalists Amidst Restrictions on Foreign Media The International Federation of Journalists, the world’s largest organisation of journalists, today condemned the government in Zimbabwe for refusing to guarantee the safety of journalists and for undue restrictions on foreign reporters. A […]
Journalist threatened, assaulted
(MISA/IFEX) – The “Zimbabwe Independent” newspaper has reported that one of its reporters, Brian Hungwe, was manhandled and threatened by the co-ordinator of the National Development Assembly (NDA) and former president of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), Kindness Paradza, on 16 December 2000. The incident was apparently provoked by an article in the last […]
Newspaper faces several civil and criminal lawsuits
(MISA/IFEX) – On 9 December 2000, the Zimbabwe government announced that it was planning to sue the independent newspaper “Daily News” for criminal defamation. During the previous week, the newspaper published a series of stories alleging massive corruption involving several senior state officials, including President Robert Mugabe, in the award of a tender for a […]
New Copyright Act gazetted into law
(MISA/IFEX) – The Copyright and Neighbouring Right Act, which will replace the Copyright Act of 1976, has been gazetted into law. On 23 November 2000, “The Herald” reported that the act, which was passed by parliament in October and agreed to by President Mugabe, will protect literary, musical, artistic and audio visual works, sound and […]
Radio station’s equipment returned
(MISA/IFEX) – On 16 November 2000, the High Court ordered Zimbabwe police to return Capital Radio’s equipment, excluding the transmitter, which were seized from Capital Radio on 6 October, after the station went on air without a government allocated frequency. Under the new regulations, it is illegal to possess a transmitter without a broadcasting licence. […]
Public broadcaster and city authorities allegedly ban company’s advertisements
(MISA/IFEX) – The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has allegedly banned the flighting of a new set of Econet Wireless advertisements meant to introduce a new cellular contract package branded “Liberty”, for what have been cited as ethical reasons, reports the “Financial Gazette” newspaper. Sure Chimbga, spokesman for Econet Wireless, reportedly confirmed that the company’s advertising […]