Army bars reporter from covering charity match

Members of the Zimbabwe National Army on Sunday, 3 March 2013 reportedly denied Daily News sports reporter, Blessings Mashaya, entrance into Harare's Rufaro Stadium to cover a charity soccer match between army side Black Rhinos and CAPS United.

Daily News is a privately-owned newspapers that has been previously banned under ZimbabweÂ’s harsh media laws and has had its printing press bombed once.

The soldiers reportedly told Mashaya that since it was only a charity match they were playing, they did not require media coverage especially from Daily News.  This is despite the fact that the reporter is duly accredited with the statutory Zimbabwe Media Commission.

"We want to make money and to make things worse, you are from the Daily News so it's better for you to go back. You are not permitted to cover this match,”" said one of the soldiers, according to a story published in the Daily News of 4 March 2013.