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Minister of Media and Information, Webster Shamu
ZBC chief executive Happison Muchechetere told the state broadcaster’s senior editors about the directive on Friday evening.
Sources said all radio stations and ZTV have dropped all stories where MDC-T ministers are the main sources following Muchechetere’s edict.
Muchechetere reportedly said the directive applied to the entire state media, which has upped its vilification of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his party following their partial withdrawal from the unity government on October 16.
“He said the ministry said the MDC-T ministers cannot speak on behalf of government following their decision to disengage,” said the source. “So until the party reverses its decision, the ministers will not be covered.”
The MDC-T has said it remains part of government but will not attend cabinet and council of ministers meetings with Zanu PF until outstanding issues in their power-sharing agreement are resolved.
Muchechetere could not be reached for comment yesterday but ZBC’s head of news, Tazzen Mandizvidza, said he was not aware of the directive.
“I was out of the country. I came back on Friday night but if there was such a directive I would have been informed,” he said.
Webster Shamu, the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity and Permanent Secretary George Charamba were not immediately available for comment yesterday.
Shamu’s deputy, Jameson Timba (MDC-T) who has complained that Shamu and Charamba do not consult him on key policy issues, yesterday said he was not aware of the directive.
But he warned that if it existed, it would poison the already polarised political situation in the country.
“These are some of the issues that are causing tension in the inclusive government where the public media is used to advance the interests of one political party or individual,” Timba said.
“The Ministry of Media has no business giving directives to newspapers under the Zimpapers stable because they are not owned by the government.”
MDC-T says one of the reasons it disengaged from Zanu PF was the continued use of hate speech in the public media despite the formation of a unity government eight months ago.
shamu and charamba are mad, first of all they are imposing themselves on us we do not want them as our leaders as they do not serve in our interest. Secondly we do not watch ZTV so it makes no difference if our leaders (MDC) are covered or not.
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Umisa ububi ungani yimpisi!!!
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If you dont watch Dead BC then you should have no worries.
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Oh Charity! No man is ugly. Our Webster is just a different type. He certainly behaves like a hyena but he is still a human being created in God’s image.
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Typical of all Ministers of Mis-Information…….I don’t watch Dead BC but still if Shamu roughed up ZBC crew some time back for not making Bob the main headline….then surely I should worry…..
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Shamu you are useless , we don’t expect that from you ,after all you have been involved in so many scandals and corruption activites.besides no one is willing to watch and listen to ZBC thus y you c all those dishes in evey household
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now that explains why suddenly “prof” matambara was weeping and wailing about jono and charamba spreading lies to the nation and his abrupt criticism of matbili “shape up or ship out” anyone?
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