Moyo: 'Government has no business in newspapers'

Moyo: 'Government has no business in newspapers'

MOYO: 'Government has no business in newspapers'

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE'S former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo has called on the government to cede its interests in newspapers and television.

Confirming that he had come full circle to his former self as an arch critic of President Robert Mugabe, Moyo blasted: "Things have changed and government ownership of newspapers has become an anathema to democracy. The whole thing is just not on. Zanu PF must move on with the times."

Zimbabwe's government dictates the editorial line at several regional newspapers across the country and the flagship Herald newspaper. The regime also has total control of national television.

Moyo expelled himself from the ruling Zanu PF after defying Mugabe's pleas not to stand as an independent in Tsholotsho constituency in the March 31 parliamentary polls. Moyo beat both his MDC and Zanu PF challengers, becoming the only independent candidate in Parliament.

Moyo said Mugabe’s decision to resurrect the old Ministry of Information was emblematic of the country’s rapid regression in various areas.

Reacting to the resuscitation of the ministry which was abolished in 2000 when he came in as minister in Mugabe’s office, Moyo said this was not “reorganisation” as officials claimed but “disorganisation”.

“I’m not aware of any reorganisation of the Information portfolio but of course I’m aware of the disorganisation that is going on,” Moyo said.

“I was surprised to hear the Information department has been ‘upgraded’ to a ministry because to me that is a backward movement, not elevation.”

Moyo’s attack against Zanu PF’s “retreat into backward arrangements” came as new Information minister Tichaona Jokonya prepared to meet editors of all media houses today in a bid to build bridges after deep polarisation during Moyo’s turbulent era.

Moyo said while he respected Jokonya and his deputy Bright Matonga, he was afraid they had been thrown into a difficult situation in which there was “an old-fashioned Information ministry located in a modern information-based society”.

“I have the highest regard for Dr Jokonya and Matonga but I don’t think they realise the trouble in which they have been put by being deployed in a resurrected outdated ministry in this day and age,” he said.

“It becomes worse when you have some funny ministry called Public and Interactive Affairs because I can’t imagine anything which is public and interactive but not information-based.”

Having an Information ministry, Moyo said, in an environment where government’s media monopoly no longer exists, was “simply irrelevant”.

“A Ministry of Information was justified in an environment in which there was a government media monopoly but now the broadcasting monopoly has been lifted. Instead of being controlled by a ministry, broadcasting is now being run by a legally constituted regulatory authority,” he said.

During his reign, Moyo maintained a tight grip on the electronic media and on the public print media.

Moyo said the revival of the Information ministry showed government was determined to take the country to a bygone era and not forward.

“I see a lot of backward movement in everything which Zanu PF is doing now. They have gone back to the archaic Ministry of Information and they want to go back to the senate. It seems it’s now all about going back and not forward,” he said.

It was disappointing, Moyo said, to realise Mugabe and his party was preoccupied with “trivial pursuits” while the economy continues on its decline.

“We have an economically clueless government busy trying to entrench itself in power through mindless constitutional amendments while the economy is collapsing,” Moyo said.

“Obviously, Zanu PF can see what we all can see: Mugabe is no longer able to win a free and fair election.”
Additional reporting Zimbabwe Independent
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