News / National
Zimbabwe govt sets up media Dragnet ZiPRESS
29 Apr 2016 at 06:38hrs | Views
In a desperate bid to make an omnipresence clampdown on private media in the country, and independent website publications, President Robert Mugabe's administration, has reportedly set up what government insiders describe as the "most notorious and secretive organ" targeting the fourth estate, allegedly aimed at cracking down on critical scribes and reports against Zanu PF ahead of the 2018 historic Presidential and Parliamentary elections, Spotlight Zimbabwe reported.
The dreaded undercover Soviet-style organ, according to high level cabinet sources is code named ZiPress (Zimbabwe Press), and is said to be Mugabe's press secretary, George Charamba's brainchild, in collaboration with media experts from Harare's secret service, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), bent on controlling and monitoring new technologies and platforms used by the media, especially social media, which the ruling party has been struggling to curb, as it's punitive arsenal of laws such as the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) and its evil Siamese twin, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa) cannot operate in cyberspace.
ZiPress our informations shows, is also covertly funded and has the backing of elements within the military establishment, keen on pervasive and strict censorship of the press, to blockade the mainstream covering of national security issues and leaked State secrets.
Information, Media and Broadcasting Services minister Christopher Mushohwe, early this year warned journalists not to meddle in security sector issues.
Mugabe himself has recently shown open anger in the way the private local media, and some online websites on Zimbabwe based abroad, are covering his succession jig-saw puzzle, prompting senior officials in Zanu PF to go after each others throats. The ruling party strongman is also not happy with what he has condemned as daily lies and "fiction" about him in newspapers. To act against such deeds, Mugabe late last year threatened to introduce tough and rigid media laws, while speaking at the luncheon of the third session of the 8th Parliament.
"This is not the journalism that we would like to see. Vanyanya (They have gone too far)… they even write things that I have not thought of… haa," Mugabe said. "When we start being rigid and take control don't cry foul. We want freedom but not this. They are busy setting party leaders against each other. They love to see people fighting."
The mysterious ZiPress is being likened to Soviet era organisations, Goskomizdat and Gosteleradio, which were responsible for censoring print media and radio and television broadcasting respectively, only that this time Harare is seeking to ratchet up her legislative arm to the online realm of independent media, including political blogs, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and access to Google accounts.
In 2014, government indicated it was preparing to send a team of investigators to Google and Facebook in the US, to investigate the shadowy figure of Baba Jukwa, who gave Zanu PF nightmares and a good run for their political money in the run-up to the 2013 elections.
Baba Jukwa disclosed sensitive ruling party information to the public, on his page, much to the embarrassment of Mugabe's government, with US$300 000 reward money being offered to anyone who could unmask the whistle-blower, who was wanted dead or alive.
"ZiPress is Zimbabwe's own version of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in the UK, which has began running a covert program similar to PRISM in the US. However in our case it is a special organ set up to place private media and journalists, under round the clock clandestine surveillance and they are not even aware of it," our insider sources said.
"It is nothing you have seen or heard of. Instead of mass surveillance targeting the whole population, it is more effective and cheaper to zero in on the media, because their activities and interaction with their public alone, gives away a lot of valuable information. You already know that a decade ago, intelligencia seized controlling stakes in three of Zimbabwe's independent papers, now they are putting their troops on the ground, who are armed with IT skills to infiltrate and hack all media reporting on the country, following disclosures that some journalists working for the private media are now on the payroll of foreign NGOs and governments. The authorities are pretending to be stupid, but they're eyes are on the ball. It is also known that these reporters receive their brown envelops and cheques from South African bank accounts."
Spotlight Zimbabwe has also been told that, ZiPress operates under the formal direction of the Joint Operations Command (JOC), foreign affairs and military intelligence. It also allegedly has a staff complement working in the President's office, under Charamba's watch.
Other intelligence sources indicated that ZiPress kingpin, Charamba himself, known to use a plethora of pseudonyms in State newspaper columns, and in some instances literally deciding daily political headlines, including planting presidential and Mugabe succession stories from his office at Munhumutapa, has been tasked with writing recommendations for new media laws, expected to be introduced soon to cater for the changing media industry.
The government's spokesman was in cloud nine, in February, when he told a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services, that plans are under-way to introduce new Bills, to "reform" the media industry.
Concurring with Mugabe's remarks when he was addressing the 8th Parliament's luncheon Charamba said journalists must not feel unfairly treated, when the hammer descends on them.
"If you are in the media and you choose to leave the media desk to become an extension of the publicity department of a political party we treat you as a politician," Charamba said. "And please don't cry wolf. Don't feel unfairly treated when the hammer descends on you because wada mabrickbats yet you are staying in a glass house. I will recommend most effective ways of controlling errant behaviour in the newsroom. So you will have a piece of legislation that seeks to restrain rather than enable media practices."
Another administration official knowledgeable about the information ministry, said Charamba is enjoying a new spring in his step, because of his proximity to military generals who have made him their blue-eyed media boy, owing to his relationship with them, as he sometimes writes speeches for them, especially Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, General Constantine Chiwenga.
"These so called new Bills which Charamba is penning, will in fact increase his unofficial powers and influence using the ZiPress conduit," they said. "Charamba wants government to pass legislation to bar foreign investors and donors from investing in the private media, as the last big step in achieving ultimate control of the press, in the name of Zimbabwe having to tell her own story and owning the wholesale content. I won't be surprised if he lands a big promotion for his efforts."
The dreaded undercover Soviet-style organ, according to high level cabinet sources is code named ZiPress (Zimbabwe Press), and is said to be Mugabe's press secretary, George Charamba's brainchild, in collaboration with media experts from Harare's secret service, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), bent on controlling and monitoring new technologies and platforms used by the media, especially social media, which the ruling party has been struggling to curb, as it's punitive arsenal of laws such as the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) and its evil Siamese twin, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa) cannot operate in cyberspace.
ZiPress our informations shows, is also covertly funded and has the backing of elements within the military establishment, keen on pervasive and strict censorship of the press, to blockade the mainstream covering of national security issues and leaked State secrets.
Information, Media and Broadcasting Services minister Christopher Mushohwe, early this year warned journalists not to meddle in security sector issues.
Mugabe himself has recently shown open anger in the way the private local media, and some online websites on Zimbabwe based abroad, are covering his succession jig-saw puzzle, prompting senior officials in Zanu PF to go after each others throats. The ruling party strongman is also not happy with what he has condemned as daily lies and "fiction" about him in newspapers. To act against such deeds, Mugabe late last year threatened to introduce tough and rigid media laws, while speaking at the luncheon of the third session of the 8th Parliament.
"This is not the journalism that we would like to see. Vanyanya (They have gone too far)… they even write things that I have not thought of… haa," Mugabe said. "When we start being rigid and take control don't cry foul. We want freedom but not this. They are busy setting party leaders against each other. They love to see people fighting."
The mysterious ZiPress is being likened to Soviet era organisations, Goskomizdat and Gosteleradio, which were responsible for censoring print media and radio and television broadcasting respectively, only that this time Harare is seeking to ratchet up her legislative arm to the online realm of independent media, including political blogs, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and access to Google accounts.
In 2014, government indicated it was preparing to send a team of investigators to Google and Facebook in the US, to investigate the shadowy figure of Baba Jukwa, who gave Zanu PF nightmares and a good run for their political money in the run-up to the 2013 elections.
Baba Jukwa disclosed sensitive ruling party information to the public, on his page, much to the embarrassment of Mugabe's government, with US$300 000 reward money being offered to anyone who could unmask the whistle-blower, who was wanted dead or alive.
"It is nothing you have seen or heard of. Instead of mass surveillance targeting the whole population, it is more effective and cheaper to zero in on the media, because their activities and interaction with their public alone, gives away a lot of valuable information. You already know that a decade ago, intelligencia seized controlling stakes in three of Zimbabwe's independent papers, now they are putting their troops on the ground, who are armed with IT skills to infiltrate and hack all media reporting on the country, following disclosures that some journalists working for the private media are now on the payroll of foreign NGOs and governments. The authorities are pretending to be stupid, but they're eyes are on the ball. It is also known that these reporters receive their brown envelops and cheques from South African bank accounts."
Spotlight Zimbabwe has also been told that, ZiPress operates under the formal direction of the Joint Operations Command (JOC), foreign affairs and military intelligence. It also allegedly has a staff complement working in the President's office, under Charamba's watch.
Other intelligence sources indicated that ZiPress kingpin, Charamba himself, known to use a plethora of pseudonyms in State newspaper columns, and in some instances literally deciding daily political headlines, including planting presidential and Mugabe succession stories from his office at Munhumutapa, has been tasked with writing recommendations for new media laws, expected to be introduced soon to cater for the changing media industry.
The government's spokesman was in cloud nine, in February, when he told a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services, that plans are under-way to introduce new Bills, to "reform" the media industry.
Concurring with Mugabe's remarks when he was addressing the 8th Parliament's luncheon Charamba said journalists must not feel unfairly treated, when the hammer descends on them.
"If you are in the media and you choose to leave the media desk to become an extension of the publicity department of a political party we treat you as a politician," Charamba said. "And please don't cry wolf. Don't feel unfairly treated when the hammer descends on you because wada mabrickbats yet you are staying in a glass house. I will recommend most effective ways of controlling errant behaviour in the newsroom. So you will have a piece of legislation that seeks to restrain rather than enable media practices."
Another administration official knowledgeable about the information ministry, said Charamba is enjoying a new spring in his step, because of his proximity to military generals who have made him their blue-eyed media boy, owing to his relationship with them, as he sometimes writes speeches for them, especially Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, General Constantine Chiwenga.
"These so called new Bills which Charamba is penning, will in fact increase his unofficial powers and influence using the ZiPress conduit," they said. "Charamba wants government to pass legislation to bar foreign investors and donors from investing in the private media, as the last big step in achieving ultimate control of the press, in the name of Zimbabwe having to tell her own story and owning the wholesale content. I won't be surprised if he lands a big promotion for his efforts."
Source - spotlight
