THE Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has vowed to continue running Zanu PF jingles which have been condemned by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party as offensive and against the ‘spirit’ of the inclusive government.
The public broadcaster has been running the jingles on all its radio and television channels at least twice every hour.
Done by a group called Mbare Chimuremga Choir, the jingles reiterate that President Robert Mugabe and his two deputies, John Nkomo and Joyce Mujuru are the ones running the country, not the coalition government.
MDC-T spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said the jingles showed Zanu PF was not serious about the unity government.
The coalition cabinet resolved last Tuesday that the advertisements should be taken off air following a protest by Tsvangirai.
But media, information and publicity permanent secretary George Charamba claimed the cabinet instruction had not been communicated to the ZBC since his minister, Webster Shamu, was away.
Still, ZBC chief executive Happison Muchetetere insisted the state-run broadcaster would not drop the adverts and invited the MDC-T to provide its won material for similar broadcast.
Again, Zanu PF legislator and former information minister, Jonathan Moyo threatened to take legal action if cabinet forced the ZBC to drop the adverts.
He said only those who did not share “the country’s liberation struggle history” could be opposed the songs.
MDC-T officials said the songs were part of Zanu PF’s campaign strategy for the next elections which President Mugabe said should be held next year.
Meanwhile, the jingle spat possibly marks the start attempts by the coalition partners to claim credit for the relative improvement in the country’s economy and the easing of political tensions ahead of the crucial ballot.
Zanu PF has used its grip over the state media to portray Tsvangirai as just a senior minister and number four in the country’s executive structure after Mugabe and his two deputies.
Both the ZBC and all titles under the Zimbabwe Newspapers Group as well as provincial newspapers run by New Ziana predicate all reference to Mugabe by saying - ‘the Head of state and government and commander-in-chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces’.