News / Local
Anti-Zimbabwe media blackout unsettles US
21 Aug 2023 at 01:40hrs | Views
THE United States (US) says it is unsettled that Zimbabwe has decided to block foreign journalists from covering the August 23 elections.
Assistant Secretary of the US Bureau of African Affairs, Mary Catherine Phee, said government had rejected "multiples" of foreign journalists who wanted to cover the elections.
"Disappointed Zimbabwe denying accreditation requests to cover elections from multiple international journalists. The game is clear: For those who applied on time, rejection came very late and appeals not accepted; alternates don't meet the deadline of applying 60 days in advance," Phee said on Twitter.
As of August 14, 2023, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) had accredited 15 foreign journalists, 376 local journalists, 3 572 local observers and 136 foreign observers.
Local electoral watchdogs have also expressed concern over Zec's decision to bar election observers from participating in the elections.
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum acting executive director Wilbert Mandinde said he received reports of about 15 human rights defenders denied the opportunity to observe the elections.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition executive director Blessing Vava was among those denied accreditation by Zec to observe Wednesday's elections.
Top human rights lawyer Musa Kika was also barred from observing the 2023 elections.
In a letter dated August 18, 2023, addressed to Kika's lawyers, seen by NewsDay, Zec said it barred Kika from observing the elections for security reasons.
"Please be advised Zec has not approved the accreditation of your client Kika for security reasons," Zec deputy chairperson Rodney Simukai Kiwa said.
This was after Kika's lawyers had written to Zec demanding an explanation on why the electoral body had blocked their client from observing the elections.
"We are worried by the conduct of Zec, where it is refusing to accredit certain local observers. What is worse is its refusal to disclose the reasons. We have Kika who was denied the opportunity to observe the elections. I am aware of about 10 to 15 individuals denied the opportunity to observe the elections," Mandinde said.
"Most of them are directors of local human rights organisations."
Assistant Secretary of the US Bureau of African Affairs, Mary Catherine Phee, said government had rejected "multiples" of foreign journalists who wanted to cover the elections.
"Disappointed Zimbabwe denying accreditation requests to cover elections from multiple international journalists. The game is clear: For those who applied on time, rejection came very late and appeals not accepted; alternates don't meet the deadline of applying 60 days in advance," Phee said on Twitter.
As of August 14, 2023, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) had accredited 15 foreign journalists, 376 local journalists, 3 572 local observers and 136 foreign observers.
Local electoral watchdogs have also expressed concern over Zec's decision to bar election observers from participating in the elections.
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum acting executive director Wilbert Mandinde said he received reports of about 15 human rights defenders denied the opportunity to observe the elections.
Top human rights lawyer Musa Kika was also barred from observing the 2023 elections.
In a letter dated August 18, 2023, addressed to Kika's lawyers, seen by NewsDay, Zec said it barred Kika from observing the elections for security reasons.
"Please be advised Zec has not approved the accreditation of your client Kika for security reasons," Zec deputy chairperson Rodney Simukai Kiwa said.
This was after Kika's lawyers had written to Zec demanding an explanation on why the electoral body had blocked their client from observing the elections.
"We are worried by the conduct of Zec, where it is refusing to accredit certain local observers. What is worse is its refusal to disclose the reasons. We have Kika who was denied the opportunity to observe the elections. I am aware of about 10 to 15 individuals denied the opportunity to observe the elections," Mandinde said.
"Most of them are directors of local human rights organisations."
Source - newsday
