No celebration for Zim journalists

Obituaries
As the world came together to commemorate World Press Freedom Day recently, Zimbabwean scribes said they had little to celebrate.

As the world came together to commemorate World Press Freedom Day recently, Zimbabwean scribes said they had little to celebrate.

They said thatcontinued arrests and intimidation, even after the African country gained independence 41 years ago, were more baffling.

“Zimbabwe has not fared well in as far as press freedom is concerned. Arrests of journalists, intimidation, and torture of journalists while conducting their work has continued even 41 years after independence,” Mlondolozi Ndlovu, president of the Young Journalists Association, told Anadolu Agency.

In May last year, Zimbabwean journalist Samuel Takawira (30) was arrested for interviewing hospitalised opposition activists who had protested against government’s alleged failure to provide relief to the poor during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Barely a year later, he was again assaulted by anti-riot police in the capital Harare, outside a court, where opposition activist Makomborero Haruziviishe was sentenced to a 14-month jail for inciting violence.

Even veteran journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, who has won praises for exposing corruption, was arrested allegedly for circulating a video showing a policeman flogging a child while enforcing lockdown.

The child was said to have died in the process although police later dismissed the claim.

Chin’ono has been in and out of jail during his career. Last year, he spent 45 days at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison after he had reported corruption in procuring the material to combat COVID-19.

He was first arrested in July last year and faced charges of inciting violence against the government. He was put behind bars again in November on charges of obstructing justice.

According to the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), there have been 52 cases of assaults, harassment, and attacks on the media in 2020 as compared to 27 in 2019.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency Tabani Moyo, director for MISA Zimbabwe, said that the safety and security of journalists was a big issue in the country in the wake of the increasing number of attacks.

He said the situation exacerbated because of the outbreak of the pandemic as journalists were not listed as essential services.

Therefore, while coming out to perform their professional duties, they bore the brunt of attacks from soldiers and police.

Moyo, however, said there was some silver lining as access to information had improved in the country over the years.

“I think in terms of what has improved is access to information and media access to information in general. There has been an improvement with the Information ministry on the post-Cabinet briefing with the media, secondly, the implementation of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act though inconclusive,” he said.

He lamented that the ruling elite was increasingly consolidating ownership of the broadcasting space.

He said the State was using its control in terms of issuance of licences for starting television channels for commercial purposes and community radio stations and campus radio stations.

Virginia Muwanigwa, who is chief executive officer at the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, said a new form of harassment now comes in the form of cyberbullying.

“Cyberbullying through social media has increased, creating a relatively new arena of violence against women and girls. The abuse has resulted in reticence by women to use the media is not only amplifying their voices but also providing alternative viewpoints based on diversity,” she said.

Little improvement

Lucy Yasini, a Zimbabwean journalist, however, said there has been a little improvement in the media accreditation process at both the Zimbabwe Media Commission and Parliament.

“Before, it was difficult for those in the private media, worse still for freelance journalists to renew their annual media accreditation,” she said.

“The biggest threat to media freedom in Zimbabwe currently is, of course, the State, but I haven’t seen too many violations of media freedom now. We only have, of course, few journalists being harassed here and there,” Nkosana Dlamini, who is the editor for NewZimbabwe.com, an online independent news website, said.

— Anadolu Agency