Zim threatens to shut 2nd paper
2004-05-03 17:03
Harare - President Robert Mugabe's government said on Monday it would shut down another independent newspaper under draconian press laws on the same day as the world marked the United Nations' International Press Freedom Day.
State radio quoted Tafataona Mahoso, chairperson of the state-run Media and Information Council, as saying the moderate weekly Tribune newspaper was operating "illegally" because it had amended its ownership structures without informing the commission.
"In terms of the law, this new company must not publish its new publication until it has applied for and been granted the required registration certificate," said Mahoso, adding, "Accordingly, relevant authorities have been notified."
The Daily News, the country's only independent and best selling daily, was shut down last September after it fell foul of regulations under the notorious Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, passed in March 2002.
The Tribune leans towards the ruling Zanu-PF party, and one of its leading executives is Kindness Paradza, a former journalist and a ruling party MP. Paradza recently told parliament that the AIPPA and laws banning independent radio and television stations should be amended because they discouraged investment in the media. The newspaper also criticised the closure of the Daily News.
Last week, the Tribune criticised Jonathan Moyo, Mugabe's propaganda minister, for participating in the illegal takeover of the country's leading export horticulture operation. Paradza travelled to Britain last week and state media accused him of trying to raise funds there for a relaunch of his paper.
Denied allegations
He denied the allegations, but the state press accused him of colluding "with enemy and foreign interests". He was suspended from the ruling party last week.
In September 2003, heavily armed paramilitary police stormed the Daily News offices by order of the media commission. The government has violated repeated court orders not to interfere with its operations and senior company executives were arrested.
Two journalists from the London-based Sky News television company were allegedly confined to their Harare hotel Monday for the fourth day after the government declared their presence "illegal".
Reports last week said the team had travelled to Harare with the approval of the ruling party's most senior information official to produce a documentary, which was to include an interview with Mugabe.
Attempts on Monday to reach the journalists, producer Den Depear and cameraman Martin Smith, failed but reports said that they were still in their hotel last night.
An almost total ban has been placed on visiting foreign journalists and about five locally-based foreign correspondents have been deported. The International Committee to Protect journalists lists Zimbabwe as among the 10 worst offenders of press freedom. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA