Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

An appeal to the electoral commission, judiciary and the media
Media Update # 2002/06 - extract
Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe
February 21, 2002

News of an alleged plot by MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, to assassinate President Mugabe overshadowed all other news during the week under review.

Notwithstanding an examination of this most serious allegation that we seek to unravel in this update, MMPZ laments the fact that with barely 14 days to go before the presidential election, there has been no attempt by the government-controlled media to clarify important electoral processes that are likely to affect the electorate on voting day.

While some attempt has been made to address these issues in supplements contained in the private press, the national public broadcaster and the government-owned Zimpapers' publications have made no effort to explain, for example, what identity papers the electorate will be required to produce to cast their vote. No explanation has been given to the electorate in Harare and Chitungwiza about what documents they will be required to produce when they go to cast their vote in the concurrent municipal and mayoral elections in these two centres. None of the media has called upon the Registrar-General's office to provide this information and the Electoral Supervisory Commission has not provided any educational advertising to assist in these important electoral matters.

MMPZ appeals to the media and the authorities to assist Zimbabwe's electorate by clarifying these issues well before polling opens in order for the people to exercise their democratic rights effectively. Without clear and unambiguous advice well ahead of the election, many voters risk the possibility of being disenfranchised on technical grounds.

MMPZ also calls upon the judiciary to urgently resolve the constitutional matter under review by the Supreme Court of whether the presidential election will be held under a common voters' roll, or on a constituency basis, as the electorate will need time to consider the ruling when it is finally made.

The MEDIA UPDATE is produced and circulated by the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe, 15 Duthie Avenue, Alexandra Park, Harare, Tel/fax: 263 4 703702, E-mail: monitors@mweb.co.zw or advocacy@media-monitors.icon.co.zw
Send all queries and comments to the Project Coordinator. Also, please feel free to circulate this report. Previous copies of MMPZ reports can be accessed at http://www.icon.co.zw/mmpz

Visit the MMPZ fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP