Zimbabwe bans journalist from practising for a year

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By Mutongi Gava

ZIMBABWE has banned a journalist from practising for a year.

Brian Hungwe, a Zimbabwean national and former South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) correspondent, originally had his licence withdrawn in August last year for allegedly violating a section of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) which requires that a representative office of a foreign mass media service must get permission from the country's media watchdog before setting up in Zimbabwe.

Hungwe appealed against the ban by the Media and Information Commission (MIC), but in a letter to the journalist dated Wednesday, February 26, 2008, the MIC said he had failed to lodge an appeal within 28 days as required by the law and must now serve the full ban.

A letter from the MIC said: "The Media and Information Commission acknowledge the receipt of your appeal letter against the decision handed down on 20 August 2007. After due process of a hearing as provided for by Section 52B (4) and (6) at a hearing conducted by the MIC on 20 August 2007, you were found guilty of violating sections 90 and 79 (5) of the Statutory Instrument 169C of 2002. You were suspended from the roll of journalists for a one year period, that is from 20 August 2007 to 19 August 2008.

"According to Section 52B (9), any person aggrieved by any determination of the Commission made in terms of Section 52A and 52B may lodge an appeal within twenty-eighty (28) days after being notified of that determination.

“The MIC is not in a position to entertain your appeal as there is no basis in law for such an appeal now."

The development effectively denies Hungwe the right to practise in Zimbabwe.

On Wednesday, Hungwe said his lawyer Selby Hwacha was handling the issue. The journalist is likely to approach the High Court.

The former Zimbabwe Independent scribe and CNN Africa Reporter of the Year winner has been battling to get accreditation since last year.

It is believed that Tafataona Mahoso, the former MIC chairman has an axe to grind with Hungwe over what he believes are “unfriendly stories” he wrote about Zimbabwe.
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