News / National
Media houses misleading the nation by sensationalising issues: Moyo
27 Aug 2011 at 09:47hrs | Views
Zimbabwe is ready to engage the United States to normalise relations between the two countries, Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo has said.
In a frank exchange of views with US ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray at Zanu-PF headquarters yesterday, Khaya Moyo said Zanu-PF had no bone to chew with the US government.
Khaya Moyo told Ambassador Ray that it was important to engage the responsible authorities in Zimbabwe before going to the press.
He bemoaned the conduct of some media houses that he said were misleading the nation by sensationalising issues.
"My doors are always open. Come and see me if there are any issues you want to discuss. We have a fanning media that is creating an impression that things are not well through some headlines.
"Some of our colleagues in the inclusive Government called for media reforms and I do not know how many newspapers we now have. But we have a big problem of journalistic responsibility.
"Most of these papers are not helping to bring our people together and we are very concerned about that," he said.
He said he was surprised Washington got involved in a bilateral matter between Zimbabwe and Britain.
Relations between Zimbabwe and Britain soured after Harare embarked on a land reform programme to address colonial land ownership imbalances.
Khaya Moyo said: "We have nothing against the American administration. But we ask ourselves why a bilateral matter between Britain and us warrants the involvement of America to the extent that you go as far as crafting a law like Zidera against us."
He called for dialogue between the two countries.
"Sometimes America is actually at the forefront of some of these matters yet America has never colonised us, so what has really gone wrong?
"Let us have our relations move forward and remove all suspicions and antagonism. We should now deal with real issues and not tissues."
He said Zanu-PF through his office was open to discuss and deal with misunderstandings with any country.
On the Global Political Agreement, Khaya Moyo said Zanu-PF was concerned that some of the critical issues were not yet implemented.
"We are concerned that there are pirate radio stations such as Studio 7 beaming into Zimbabwe. The messages from these radio stations are not peace and unifying messages."
Khaya Moyo had earlier paid tribute to the late former Army Commander, Retired General Solomon Mujuru.
In a frank exchange of views with US ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray at Zanu-PF headquarters yesterday, Khaya Moyo said Zanu-PF had no bone to chew with the US government.
Khaya Moyo told Ambassador Ray that it was important to engage the responsible authorities in Zimbabwe before going to the press.
He bemoaned the conduct of some media houses that he said were misleading the nation by sensationalising issues.
"My doors are always open. Come and see me if there are any issues you want to discuss. We have a fanning media that is creating an impression that things are not well through some headlines.
"Some of our colleagues in the inclusive Government called for media reforms and I do not know how many newspapers we now have. But we have a big problem of journalistic responsibility.
"Most of these papers are not helping to bring our people together and we are very concerned about that," he said.
He said he was surprised Washington got involved in a bilateral matter between Zimbabwe and Britain.
Khaya Moyo said: "We have nothing against the American administration. But we ask ourselves why a bilateral matter between Britain and us warrants the involvement of America to the extent that you go as far as crafting a law like Zidera against us."
He called for dialogue between the two countries.
"Sometimes America is actually at the forefront of some of these matters yet America has never colonised us, so what has really gone wrong?
"Let us have our relations move forward and remove all suspicions and antagonism. We should now deal with real issues and not tissues."
He said Zanu-PF through his office was open to discuss and deal with misunderstandings with any country.
On the Global Political Agreement, Khaya Moyo said Zanu-PF was concerned that some of the critical issues were not yet implemented.
"We are concerned that there are pirate radio stations such as Studio 7 beaming into Zimbabwe. The messages from these radio stations are not peace and unifying messages."
Khaya Moyo had earlier paid tribute to the late former Army Commander, Retired General Solomon Mujuru.
Source - TH
