(MISA/IFEX) – The free distribution of privately-owned newspapers is being curtailed in Kwekwe, in the Midlands Province, as a result of attacks on vendors, reports the “Zimbabwe Independent” newspaper. The newspapers affected are the “Zimbabwe Independent”, the “Standard” and the “Daily News”. The distributor of two of the affected newspapers, Publications Distribution, said vendors were […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The free distribution of privately-owned newspapers is being curtailed in Kwekwe, in the Midlands Province, as a result of attacks on vendors, reports the “Zimbabwe Independent” newspaper. The newspapers affected are the “Zimbabwe Independent”, the “Standard” and the “Daily News”.
The distributor of two of the affected newspapers, Publications Distribution, said vendors were being attacked, apparently by “war veterans” and supporters of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party. The attackers also burnt the vendors’ papers, alleging that the papers were misinforming people.
A driver with the distribution company said the vendors were now selling the papers at strategic positions, which enabled them to run away if an attack was pending. The strategy of the attackers would be to seize all the vendors’ papers and burn them. The vendor could be assaulted if she tried to resist. The driver also reported that the group of assailants, chanting revolutionary songs, had been demanding to see only the “Herald” newspaper on vendors’ stands.
The attacks on vendors have also affected other aspects of the free distribution of media in the area. The “Zimbabwe Independent” further reports that readers of privately-owned papers now feel threatened when reading the papers in public, for fear of also being attacked. The “Daily News” has also taken the precaution of having the paper distributed in unmarked cars, without the newspaper’s logo visible.
