Opinion / Columnist
Zapu castigates awarding of radio licences to Zimpapers and Mandiwanzira
29 Nov 2011 at 04:53hrs | Views
ZAPU is saddened by the awarding of national radio licences to Zimpapers and AB Communications by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe.
Zimpapers' manipulation and domination by Zanu-PF functionaries, and AB Communications chief executive officer Supa Mandiwanzira's personal and economic ties with Zanu-PF are well-known. Clearly, the two players are just coming in to buttress what ZBC is doing: supporting Zanu-PF all the way.
As for Zimpapers, their entry into broadcasting is monumental deception by the Zanu-PF controlled BAZ to make people believe there is now "competition" in the radion broadcasting field when there is none. Zanu-PF and BAZ are taking us for fools. We are not fools. It is clear even to a fool that Zimpapers and ZBC's editorial policies are managed and dovetailed by Zanu-PF functionaries at the Ministry of Information and therefore one-and-the-same. BAZ awarded a license to Zimpapers to create friendly competition for ZBC and hoodwink those who do not know into believing that they have brought in new players into the field. There is nothing new about Zimpapers and its CEO Justin Mutasa and Supa Mandiwanzira. BAZ might as well have awarded the two licences to Zanu-PF. It makes no difference. Mutasa for a long time doubled up as Zimpaper CEO and ZBC board chairman until recently. It is therefore clear even to a fool that Zimpapers and ZBC are one and the same in editorial policy and content. Bringing Zimpapers into the broadcasting sector has further tilted the ground in favour of the Zanu-PF regime. We were better off with one ZBC than three.
Zapu calls on all progressive forces to unite and protest by all means necessary against the naked injustice of filling up our air waves with Zanu-PF instruments of oppression.
Zapu is disappointed that MDC-T and MDC are failing terribly to reign-in Zanu-PF, allowing the former ruling party to operate as if it was alone in Government. The MDCs must wake to the challenge or else throw in the towel and allow the holding of elections to choose a new government capable to defending people's rights. All the coalition government has managed to do is to shield Zanu-PF and allow it to continue looting and allocating national resources to their cronies, like they have just done with our airwaves.
Zapu is also saddened that both Zimpapers and AB Communications are Harare-based like ZBC, further marginalizing and alienating the rest of the country from national debate.
Thank You.
Methuseli Moyo
Director Information and Publicity, Zapu Southern Region.
Zimpapers' manipulation and domination by Zanu-PF functionaries, and AB Communications chief executive officer Supa Mandiwanzira's personal and economic ties with Zanu-PF are well-known. Clearly, the two players are just coming in to buttress what ZBC is doing: supporting Zanu-PF all the way.
As for Zimpapers, their entry into broadcasting is monumental deception by the Zanu-PF controlled BAZ to make people believe there is now "competition" in the radion broadcasting field when there is none. Zanu-PF and BAZ are taking us for fools. We are not fools. It is clear even to a fool that Zimpapers and ZBC's editorial policies are managed and dovetailed by Zanu-PF functionaries at the Ministry of Information and therefore one-and-the-same. BAZ awarded a license to Zimpapers to create friendly competition for ZBC and hoodwink those who do not know into believing that they have brought in new players into the field. There is nothing new about Zimpapers and its CEO Justin Mutasa and Supa Mandiwanzira. BAZ might as well have awarded the two licences to Zanu-PF. It makes no difference. Mutasa for a long time doubled up as Zimpaper CEO and ZBC board chairman until recently. It is therefore clear even to a fool that Zimpapers and ZBC are one and the same in editorial policy and content. Bringing Zimpapers into the broadcasting sector has further tilted the ground in favour of the Zanu-PF regime. We were better off with one ZBC than three.
Zapu calls on all progressive forces to unite and protest by all means necessary against the naked injustice of filling up our air waves with Zanu-PF instruments of oppression.
Zapu is disappointed that MDC-T and MDC are failing terribly to reign-in Zanu-PF, allowing the former ruling party to operate as if it was alone in Government. The MDCs must wake to the challenge or else throw in the towel and allow the holding of elections to choose a new government capable to defending people's rights. All the coalition government has managed to do is to shield Zanu-PF and allow it to continue looting and allocating national resources to their cronies, like they have just done with our airwaves.
Zapu is also saddened that both Zimpapers and AB Communications are Harare-based like ZBC, further marginalizing and alienating the rest of the country from national debate.
Thank You.
Methuseli Moyo
Director Information and Publicity, Zapu Southern Region.
Source - Director Information and Publicity, Zapu Southern Region.
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