Muleya scoops Commons award

Journalist Muleya scoops Commons award

DUMISANI Muleya, the award winning Independent journalist

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By Staff Reporter
01/04/04
DUMISANI Muleya, the Zimbabwe Independent Chief Reporter has been awarded the inaugural House of Commons Speaker Abbot award for his outstanding work covering Zimbabwean elections and human rights abuses.

Muleya, 28, who has been imprisoned and threatened with his life by President Robert Mugabe's brutal regime, will receive his award later this month in the Speaker's House of the House of Commons at a reception hosted by Speaker Michael Martin.

Muleya said Thursday night: "I am delighted to win this award. I believe this is a victory for the Zimbabwe media in general. The closure of the Daily News was a terrible blow and has really affected the morale of journalists. I dedicate this award to all the journalists of Zimbabwe who have suffered in the cause of democracy."

The award was inaugurated to mark the bi-centenary of the admission of the Press to the House of Commons Chamber and is named after the Speaker who first allowed the Press access to Commons proceedings.

The award is given to a journalist who is considered to have made 'the greatest contribution internationally to the protection, promotion and perpetuation of parliamentary democracy'.

The inauguration of the award was announced last year at the Press Gallery's Bi-Centenary dinner by Speaker Martin who chaired the panel of judges this week in
his office at the House of Commons.

A citation from his proposers, SW Radio Africa - an independent station run by Zimbabweans and based in London - said: "Due to repressive media laws, Muleya's job is made very difficult. However, he continues to report human rights abuses and highlight the problems that Zimbabweans face, despite threats from the regime."

He has reported on Zimbabwe's role in the war in the Congo; and he exposed the state's role in the farm invasions. But the work that impressed the judges most was exposing the abuses in the 2000 parliamentary elections and the attacks on opposition supporters; the rigging of the 2002 presidential poll and several by-elections.

His citation said: "On a weekly basis he deals with general issues of repression, as well as almost daily human rights violations.

"Specifically, he wrote about the plight of farm workers in 2001 and as a result was arrested and charged. The case is still pending. He was also arrested and charged in 2001 for writing about Grace Mugabe's involvement in a private company dispute in which her younger brother was implicated.

"Last month, he was arrested and charged, together with Iden Wetherell (editor), Vincent Kahiya (news editor) and reporter Itai Dzamara for writing about Mugabe's commandeering of an Air Zimbabwe plane to holiday in the Far East."

Another proposer, David Banks of the Zimbabwe Democracy Trust said: “This will be a tremendous morale-booster to the journalists still living in Zimbabwe and who are under threat on a daily basis. There are fewer and fewer journalists working in the country . Because of the repressive laws they find it difficult to earn a living and have been scattered
throughout the world

Brian Shallcross, chairman of the House of Commons Press Gallery said: "Muleya is a worthy winner of our first Speaker Abbot Award. His ceaseless efforts to report human rights and parliamentary abuses in Zimbabwe in extremely difficult circumstances is evidence enough of his bravery and commitment to the pursuits of honest and impartial journalism. We look forward to welcoming him to the UK."
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