MDC, Zanu 'not fooled' by TV, radio coverage

MDC, Zanu 'not fooled' by TV, radio coverage

• MDC to make poll decision in January

• MDC cries foul as constituencies erased

• MDC: 'Delimitation an exercise in deception'

• Delimitation commission erases MDC constituencies

• Mugabe swears in delimitation commission

• Zimbabwe voters' roll 'inflated by a million'

• Mugabe bars Western observers from polls

• Tsvangirai warns of Zimbabwe 'inferno'

• Call off boycott, Mogae urges MDC

• Two Zanu PF MPs lose seats

• Sparks fly over voters' roll tampering

• Zanu PF tests popularity with membership cards

• Majority Zimbabweans want MDC to stand

• Zimbabwe bars election observers

• Sadc must show its teeth, says Tsvangirai

• Mugabe retains control over elections

• Police swoop on MDC offices

• Zanu PF takes Seke after MDC boycott

• Britain, SA pressure Mugabe over reforms

• MDC threatens poll boycott, withdraws Harare councillors

• Electoral reforms to be tested in by-election

• Nigeria angrily denies funding MDC

• Zim claims Nigeria funding opposition

• 'Mugabe's compliance the litmus test for SADC protocol on democratic polls'

By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE'S opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and Zanu are not convinced that the coverage they were given on national television and radio stations was a signal that President Robert Mugabe’s government had finally opened up the airwaves to political parties, in line with the Sadc guidelines on democratic elections.

MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube and Zanu president Wilson Kumbula on Monday and Tuesday appeared on ZTV and radio news bulletins articulating their respective parties’ views on next year’s parliamentary polls, a thing that was taboo since 2000.

MDC spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi said the coverage of Ncube on radio and television was no sign of the opening of the airwaves.

He said if government wanted to open up the airwaves in accordance with the Sadc protocol, it was supposed to have invited political parties concerned to work on a proper framework on how to go about it.

As long as they report in the speculative and partisan manner like what they did on Monday, they would not have opened up the airwaves and we are not going to participate in the election. But if they invite us using the agreed structure, we will consider it,” Nyathi explained.

Zanu spokesperson, Reketayi Semwayo concurred with Nyathi that the government was yet to liberate the airwaves to opposition parties.

He said the appearance of Kumbula on national television was solely meant to pressurise the party formed by the late nationalist Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole to participate in the election.

“The move was only meant to put pressure on Zanu and the other opposition parties to participate in the election, despite government’s resistance to fully implement the Sadc guidelines.

“With two months to go to the election, time is running out for government. We want government to repeal all the draconian laws such as the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), as well as the disbandment of the militia,” Semwayo said.

Complaining about the militia, Semwayo alleged that his party had failed to nominate candidates to stand in the election in the whole of Mashonaland because of the Border Gezi youths.

“We have finished the process of selecting candidates in all the other parts of the country but not in Mashonaland because of the militia that has declared the provinces no-go zones for strangers,” claimed Semwayo.

He reiterated that Zanu shared the same stance with the MDC that government must implement the Sadc guidelines before the general elections take place in March.

The Permanent Secretary in the Department of Information and Publicity in the Office of the President and Cabinet, George Charamba, said Ncube and Kumbula got a chance to feature in both television and radio news bulletins because they had made news that day.

“It’s a sign they had made news, nothing more,” snapped Charamba.

He said according to the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA), it was still premature for political parties to start selling their policies on the airwaves.

“We are still far away from that period,” stated Charamba.
Daily Mirror
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com