The second coming

Qiuck question before I get into my discussion: who owns the Sunday Mail and The Chronicle? Zanu PF or the government? And while we are at it, is the police part of a private company or what? And furthermore is this the famous Gamatox move?

We all waited for it, some expecting Moyo to be axed and others uncertain but knowing that something out of the ordinary would follow. But as sure as the sun rising each day, something has happened. Sunday Mail's Edmund Kudzayi was arrested, Dumisani Muleya of the Zimbabwe Independent is on a certain 'wanted list' after police details couldn't find him both at his home and place of work, and Mduduzi Mathuthu of The Chronicle's home was burgled.

We are back to strong arm politics where media plurality is a myth. All media agents, state owned or independent, must shower praise on the incumbent and his team. Voices that attempt to say otherwise must be silenced by all forceful means necessary.

Daily News existed in the fear of such at the turn of the century. Among other violent attacks their offices were bombed and editors arrested frequently. It seems we are going back to that period. And what wrong did these editors commit? Publishing the articles on corruption. And instead of putting their house in order, Team Zanu PF began an exorcism campaign. First by denouncing the minister who has oversight over the media and then a clamp down on media houses. I doubt this is the last we will hear of these 'burglaries' and incidences of arbitrary arrest.

Team Zanu PF will publicly soil their linen but will not have people talk about it. It is a travesty as far as they are concerned. They will urinate into your mouth and tell you and bystanders that it is water followed by a rapturous applause and affirmation nods. It is treasonous to publish their wrongdoings, after all they do not err. They are infallible demi-gods. They learned well from their predecessors and memorised the rules of suppression. Beyond that they are trying to add new chapters to it, constantly trying to out do those who came before them.

Jonathan Moyo lost the Team Zanu PF strategy by attempting to bring change and giving a sort of freedom to the media. The freedom the media had been granted by Moyo was still inadequate, but half a loaf is certainly better than nothing. They are ready only for a singular type of change, and that is the change of ministries. Rotating government posts after every election period. Clueless individuals running ministries they have no clue about. Any other sort of change is unacceptable. And indeed, they value freedom of expression, as long as one freely expresses their wishes, views and opinions. Nothing else.

Apparently, in the wake of the barbaric acts Jonathan Moyo went for a meeting with the president, Mutasa and Bonyongwe of the intelligence organisation. What transpired is very much a mystery except that the spin doctor kept his job despite the tension that reigned. The other two scribes are unknown as to their whereabouts while Kudzayi is still to be formally charged. Aren't we reading from an old script.

What kind of nation are we building? Are we building a democratic state or we are building a tyrannical one? As a nation the presidium has to be answerable to the masses but in Zimbabwe the reverse is true. The media is our window into the dealings of state, and if they are silenced we are going too far back beyond the dark ages where feudal lords owned the security apparatus and the information systems.

What future then does journalism have in this nation where freedom of expression is curtailed? Shall we add topics to the colleges and universities curricula that teach students how to bow to the powers of the ruling party?