Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Zimbabwe Media Reforms Unlikely, Says Analyst

   Peter Clottey 03 May 2010

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

   Iranian  President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, and Zimbabwean President
   Robert  Mugabe,  greet  the  crowd in Bulawayo ,Friday, April 23, 2010
   during  the  opening  of  a trade fair. Ahmadinejad, who opens a trade
   fair  in southern Zimbabwe Friday before heading to Uganda to complete
   his  African  trip,  said  Iran was interested in Africa's markets. He
   added  Iran  could  also  find like-minded leaders in Africa who faced
   similar problems with the West.(AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

   A  Zimbabwean  political  analyst  says,  despite  repeated  promises,
   embattled  President  Robert  Mugabeâs  ZANU-PF  party  is unlikely to
   implement the much-anticipated wide-ranging media reforms.

   Rejoice   Ngwenya   described  the  latest  promise  to  overhaul  the
   government media policies as âpandering and pontificating for the sake
   of it.â

   âWhen   it   comes  to  independent  institutions  of  governance  and
   democracy,  ZANU-PF  is  going  to  pontificate  and  issue propaganda
   statements  that  look  credible  on paper, but they donât follow them
   up.   So,  we  are  kind  of  used  to this idea.  This things needs
   political will, but ZANU-PF cannot deliver that,â he said.

   Zimbabweâs  information  minister, Webster Shamu, said Monday that the
   administration  will  soon  implement  wide-ranging media reforms that
   could  result  in  independent media outlets breaking the government's
   hold on the flow of information.

   But, Zimbabweâs last independent newspaper was shut down in 2003 after
   being accused of criticizing President Robert Mugabeâs government.

   Analyst  Ngwenya  said  ZANU-PF  is  only interested in furthering its
   interest.

   âI  donât think that this time is going to be different.  Regulations
   and  laws  that  have  to do with self-enrichment and self-empowerment
   like  indigenisation  (law that forces white-owned companies to sell a
   majority stake to local blacks) are going to be cobbled overnight with
   a  string  of propaganda and paranoia around these things by the state
   mediaâ¦I  agree  with  those  who say that this is not any different,â
   Ngwenya said.

   Recently,  Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai came up with what has been
   described  as  an  ambitious  plan that might see the government relax
   draconian  media and security laws by the end of the year.  But, some
   analysts  express skepticism saying hardliners from President Mugabeâs
   ZANU-PF  will  undermine  Tsvangiraiâs  efforts to maintain the status
   quo.

AFP Photo

   Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai

   The  Media  Alliance  of  Zimbabwe  (MAZ) - a coalition of groups that
   includes the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Zimbabwe Union
   of  Journalists  (ZUJ), and others, have often said that the countryâs
   media laws were being used selectively to muzzle the independent media
   â a charge supporters of the ZANU-PF deny.

   Ngwenya  said  ZANU-PF  propaganda will suffer if the party embarks on
   media reforms.

   âWhat  that  means  basically  is  that  ZANU-PF  has signed its death
   warrant.  There  is  no  way  ZANU-PF can survive politically when the
   citizens  of  this  country have access to information and are free to
   get  independent  political  opinion,  and are free to chose,â Ngwenya
   said.

.