Zimbabwe media hangman gets second term

Zimbabwe media hangman gets second term

• Daily News journalists cleared - Nkomo

• Maphenduka quits MIC in protest

• Daily News hearing moved after MIC protest

• The Daily News' hearing date set

• Jakachira beats Aippa in test case

• Banned Daily News journalist's trial opens

• Daily News' demise: was it an inside job?

• Conrad Nyamutata: The Daily News - Zimbabwe's candle in the wind

• Daily News denied licence to publish

• No licence for suspended Tribune

• Court upholds Tribune closure

• Daily News journalists denied accreditation

• Daily News set to rise from ashes

• Supreme Court clears way for Daily News return

• Daily News ordered to pay £2bln to retrenched workers

• Daily News wins defamation suit against Moyo

• Judge offered farm to shut down Daily News

By Lebo Nkatazo

THE government has reappointed media hangman, Tafataona Mahoso and six of his colleagues in the Media and Information Commission for another six months.

Mahoso’s term expired on June 30 but he continued in accordance with sections of the draconian Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa) which stipulates that if no new members are appointed, the commission can continue in office for another six months.

That term was supposed to lapse on December 31.

In terms of the same restrictive media law, Mahoso and his commission are appointed by the Minister of Information, Tichaona Jokonya.

Ironically, Jokonya also reappointed Jonathan Maphenduka who resigned in August this year protesting that the MIC had resolved to grant Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ) an operating licence at a meeting in June, but was put under political pressure to rescind the decision.

ANZ are the publishers of the now defunct Daily News and its sister paper the Daily News on Sunday.

Mahoso insists that Maphenduka is still a commissioner because his resignation was directed at the permanent secretary who is not an appointing authority.

The media hangman has also closed the Tribune and The Weekly Times.
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