Mutsvangwa in PR nightmare

MINISTER of information, Monica Mutsvangwa, had a public relations nightmare, melting under intense pressure, failing to enunciate and defend the country's policies and legislation.

Mutsvangwa began a full throttle public relations exercise Thursday night in South Africa, appearing on the neighbouring country's television station, Newzroom Africa, apparently to promote and ‘clean' Zimbabwe's image.

The government has on numerous occasions cried foul over bias of regional media particularly South Africa as they have been reserving space for opposition and other critics.

Mutsvangwa was at pains to defend the contentious Criminal law and codification amendment bill which sailed through Parliament and the upper house.

The bill which awaits Presidential assent has received widespread condemnation from civil society and opposition over a clause which criminalises speaking ill of Zimbabwe and engaging foreigners to overthrow the sitting government.

"The role of that bill is to make sure citizens love their country. That means you cannot go about talking bad about your own country. Zimbabwe is a sovereign and this is not the first country which has that patriotic bill.

"That has been going on. We are talking about sanctions on your country, talking about a coup in your country," said Mutsvangwa.

Mutsvangwa professed ignorance when quizzed over nomination fees and subsequent failure of other candidates to file their nomination papers.

"I do not know which candidate was not able to file their nomination papers because the Presidential candidate, that is we have not heard of any report of anybody who wanted to file for the Presidential candidate who was not able to do it," she said.

Earlier this year, during cabinet ministers' performance evaluation, President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of government communication, which includes Mutsvangwa to champion his policies.

As if to redeem herself Mutsvangwa appeared on state broadcaster Friday afternoon, SABC, where she was haunted by a ghost of the previous night.

Mutsvangwa had a torrid time answering tough questions.

When quizzed about muzzling of opposition parties and abuse of state resources Mutsvangwa digressed saying:

"Yes, elections do not wait, this is exactly a month before elections. We are going to be holding our elections on the 23rd of August and obviously work has always been there.

"We are happy when democracy is being practiced. As a minister of information the mandate was to make sure that I bring Zimbabweans together, we remove all the polarisation which existed. We have been aligning our media laws to the constitution.

"I do not know where this has been happening. The truth of the matter is what I know is we have had some journalists beaten up when they attend opposition rallies and that has been dealt with. As a Ministry of information, we are in charge of journalists," she said.