Banned Zimbabwe paper denied publishing licence

Banned Zimbabwe paper denied publishing licence

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By Staff Reporter

A ZIMBABWEAN newspaper banned last year has been denied a licence to publish by the country's Media and Information Commission following the expiry of its one-year ban.

The licence was held by Africa Tribune Newspapers (ATN), publishers of the weekly Tribune newspaper. The paper was owned by Kindness Paradza, a journalist who later ran for political office and was elected MP for Makonde.

MIC Executive Chairman Tafataona Mahoso said ATN had failed to meet the MIC's legal requirements, and did not appear to have the capital to resume publishing.

He said Paradza had suggested that they planned operating from his home upon re-registration. That was unsatisfactory, Mahoso said.

"We are waiting for the city council to authorise the Tribune's' publisher to operate from a residential area and if that is rectified, we will be very happy to look at it (application) again," said Mahoso.

Paradza told MISA-Zimbabwe that they had met all the requirements for re-registration in terms of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

"The issue of whether we have enough capital to resume publication does not arise at all because there are banks that are willing to grant us loans towards the re-capitalisation process," he said.

Paradza denied that they planned to operate from his home. He said he had only informed the MIC that the company's assets were being kept at his home.

"Our submissions to the Commission are in black and white," he said.

The ATN's appeal against its suspension is still pending before the Supreme Court.

ATN was closed in June 2004 after the MIC ruled that it had failed to inform the Commission that The Tribune, which initially published on Thursday as The Business Tribune and Saturdays as The Weekend Tribune, had merged into "The Tribune", which was now publishing on Fridays.

The one-year suspension was based on allegations of breaching Section 67 of AIPPA, which stipulates that the Commission must be informed of any changes in the titles, frequency and ownership of a licensed media house.
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