ASSOCIATED Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publishers of the banned Daily News and the Daily News on Sunday, have been licensed to operate.Their newspapers were banned in 2003 after they were accused of breaching media registration laws.
A Special Board Committee on the ANZ, appointed by the Information ministry in November 2007, yesterday wrote to the company’s lawyers,Gill, Godlonton & Gerrans,and Minister of Media, Information and Publicity Webster Shamu saying the application for registration for the newspaper stable was successful.
This comes as parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC) has shortlisted 28 applicants for public interviews on Monday to sit on the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) – a body that will be charged with the powers to regulate the media.
“This letter serves to advise you that your application for registration as a mass media service provider was successful,” the committee’s acting chairperson, Edward Dube, wrote to the lawyers.
“Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe is therefore advised to contact the relevant authority for their licence,” Dube added.
A similar letter was sent to Shamu.
Meanwhile, a list of the applicants who want to sit on the ZMC in the possession of the Zimbabwe Independent shows that former chairman of the defunct Media and Information Commission (MIC), Tafataona Mahoso, and other Zanu PF sympathisers – Chris Mutsvangwa and Vimbai Chivaura –have applied to join the commission. Â
Of the 28 successful applicants, six are women, one a lawyer, Chris Mhike, and a church minister, Useni Sibanda.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Veteran journalists Henry Muradzikwa, Kindness Paradza, Zimbabwe Union of Journalists president Mathew Takaona, Miriam Madziwa, and Ropafadzo Mapimhidze have also been shortlisted.
Media studies lecturers Clemence Mabaso, Nqobile Nyathi, Rino Zhuwarara and Lawton Hikwa, will also be interviewed.
Chairperson of the parliamentary select committee on the media, Tongai Matutu, yesterday said the interview would go ahead on Monday.
He said “questions for the shortlisted applicants” were with the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Lovemore Moyo.
The panel for the interviews would be made up of legislators Obert Gutu, Mabel Chinomona, Thabitha Khumalo, Edward Mkhosi and Chief Fortune Charumbira.
Names of 12 successful applicants would be forwarded to President Robert Mugabe who will appoint nine commissioners, including the chairperson of the commission.
BY NQOBILE BHEBHE
