On 28 February 2000, members of parliament (MPs) of the ruling ZANU-PF party launched a scathing attack on the main pro-government newspaper, “The Herald”, for covering up weaknesses in the government. The MPs, who expressed abhorrence about the official press cover-up of government activities, went on to demand the removal of the paper’s editor, Bornwell […]
On 28 February 2000, members of parliament (MPs) of the ruling ZANU-PF party launched a scathing attack on the main pro-government newspaper, “The Herald”, for covering up weaknesses in the government. The MPs, who expressed abhorrence about the official press cover-up of government activities, went on to demand the removal of the paper’s editor, Bornwell Chakaodza.
Highfield MP Richard Shambambeva-Nyandoro praised the independent press for articulating issues that affected society, and lashed out at the “Herald’s” cover-up of government wrong-doing as being quite unnecessary. “We expect fair reporting in that paper. It does not make sense because at the end of the day the opposition press are the papers that cover us here. I understand the reporters write their stories well, it is how the stories are being edited at ‘The Herald’. It is a shame. We attack the independent press but what they say is the truth. It’s the reality,” Shambambeva-Nyandoro said.
Hatfield MP Irene Zindi called for the dismissal of editor Chakaodza, who is a former information director at the Ministry of Information and routinely reports to the current director. “That editor must go. He must be removed because they are killing the government,” Zindi said.
It is the first time ZANU-PF elected MPs have openly castigated the pro-government press for underplaying national issues. “The Herald” is the flagship title of Zimpapers Ltd. which is controlled by the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT). ZMMT, a conglomerate of public
commercial interests, was launched by a government grant from President Robert Mugabe in 1980. Since 1995, the trust has received its policy directives from the minister of information.
