Posted by By Nelson Banya
Editors Note:
This announcement is suspiciously close to the conclusion of the Zuma mediation consultations that I suspect it has been rushed out to meet some stringent demands made by the negotiators. It also falls in line with Zuma’s statement that the Media Space must be opened up. (Ed)
HARARE, March 19 – Zimbabwe’s newly appointed media commission will soon start licensing private newspapers, the press body said on Friday, in a move that is part of reforms agreed by the country’s power-sharing government.
President Robert Mugabe and rival Morgan Tsvangirai, now prime minister, formed a unity government last year following disputed elections which has since implemented some political and economic reforms.
Last December, the two appointed officials nominated by parliament to a commission that will drive media reforms, as part of a political pact which also provided for licensing of newspapers banned by Mugabe’s previous ZANU-PF government.
Under the ZANU-PF administration, a state-appointed body used stringent media laws to police the newspaper industry, forcing several titles to close. Zimbabwe currently has three major private weekly newspapers but no private daily.
“The commission has resolved to expeditiously fulfil its mandate as outlined in the global political agreement and subsequent constitutional amendments,” the media body said in a statement after its first board meeting.
“It has resolved to move with speed to introduce and implement programmes aimed at promoting development of the Zimbabwean media,” the statement said.
The commission, which is considering several applications from potential publishers, said it expected to fulfil its mandate within “the shortest possible time”.
Western donors, whose aid is essential to Zimbabwe’s economic recovery from a decade-long downturn, have demanded broad political reforms before funding the unity government, which says it needs at least $10 billion for reconstruction.
The power-sharing government has been held back by frequent disputes over the pace of reforms, senior state appointments such as those of central bank governor and attorney-general, and sanctions imposed by Western governments on Mugabe and his inner circle.
South African President Jacob Zuma, who is mediating between Tsvangirai and Mugabe, this week visited Zimbabwe and said on Thursday the leaders had agreed on resolving their disputes.
The Zimbabwean parties have said they will finalise all negotiations on fully implementing the power-sharing agreement on March 31.
I can’t believe this. If it is true this will be first time ever that Zimbabwe will have a press that is not owned by the Government and that is not a Zanu PF mouthpiece.
Now bring on the broadcast media and lets have some truthful reporting on the airwaves.
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I hope private newspapers here does not mean merely opposing Zanu pf.We need proper news in our country not two extremes like we have had in the past decade where independent newspaper means being able to bombard Mugabe.We must think beyond Zanu pf and Mugabe and learn to keep our rulers in check and encourage them where they are doing good even though thats a rare occurence.
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By opposing ZANU pf you mean writing the bad things zanu does?
You dont want that to be said??
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We will question the arrest of journalists and bombing of printing presses without any arrests. We have too many items that are classified as state secrets. Politicians do their thing and hide behind the state secrets. We want to hear the other side also then we compare and contrast. We want to separate propaganda from real news.
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