Zim 'jamming' SW radio

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Harare - A Zimbabwean media watchdog on Saturday claimed President Robert Mugabe's government is interfering with transmissions from a British-based radio station which employs a group of exiled Zimbabwean journalists.

"Although the government has denied jamming SW Radio Africa's broadcasts, a report by the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) revealed that the jamming appears to emanate from Zimbabwe using Chinese equipment," the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe said in a statement.

Quoting the IBB report, the MMPZ said "one kilohertz tone is used to jam the broadcasts and is continued till the transmitters become too hot, then the noise is used to avoid overdriving the jamming transmitters."

SW Radio Africa, known for its opposition to Mugabe's rule, operated in a Harare hotel until it was shut down in 2002.

Former information minister Jonathan Moyo warned the station's Zimbabwean staffers who relocated to London they would be arrested when they return home.

MMPZ condemned the suspected jamming of SW Radio Africa's broadcasts as "the latest deliberate assault on freedom of expression".

"This act of sabotage against SW Radio Africa's broadcasts, particularly in the run-up to the March 31 general elections, is a cynical attempt to deny the public their right to access information sources of their choice," said the media watchdog.

SW Radio Africa has since announced new frequencies to which its Zimbabwean listeners can tune in.

There are no private broadcast stations operating in Zimbabwe despite the amendment five years ago of a broadcast law which gave a monopoly to the government-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings.

Many Zimbabweans have turned to foreign-based radio stations for an alternative to broadcasts by government-controlled radio and television stations.

Three years ago the Zimbabwean government passed tough media laws which have been evoked to shut down five independent newspapers. - AFP

- SAPA