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Radio station vows to continue regardless of ban
Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe Chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe)
November 13, 2002

Gerry Jackson the Station Manager of SW Radio Africa, a community radio station based in the United Kingdom and broadcasting to Zimbabwe has vowed that the station will continue broadcasting regardless of a government ban prohibiting Zimbabweans working for the station from visiting the country.

In an interview with MISA-Zimbabwe on Tuesday 12 October, Jackson a veteran broadcaster and former employee of the state owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) said that SW Radio Africa is undeterred by the ban and will continue with its work as usual. "We are committed to continue as we believe that we are offering an alternative voice since they are no independent broadcasting stations in Zimbabwe," said Jackson.

Jackson refuted allegations advanced by the government that the station is biased in favour of the opposition and that it fuels "tribal" tensions. Jackson said that they always endeavour to balance their reports and seek government comment on many issues that they broadcast. "We certainly try to call government officials and the police to get a comment but they always refuse to talk to us," said Jackson. Jackson added that they are broadcasting from London in the United Kingdom because the Zimbabwe government has not licensed the operations of private players in the industry. She added that they would be prepared to broadcast from Zimbabwe once the law is changed to accommodate private broadcasters.

The Broadcasting Services Act 2001 is a restrictive legislation and under it no private broadcasters have been licensed. A judgment in which Capital Radio challenged the Act is yet to be delivered by the Supreme Court.

In an interview with the state owned, Sunday Mail (10-11-02), the Minister of information and Publicity Jonathan Moyo said that Zimbabweans working for the station had lost their citizenship right because of what he termed their negative campaign against the country. The broadcasters include Violet Gonda, Tererai Karimakwenda, Gerry Jackson, Georgina Godwin, Simon Parkinson, Mandisa Mundawarara and Graeme Counsel. The list also includes the whole British cabinet, Members of Parliament and other officials of non-governmental organization such the Zimbabwe Development Trust and the Westminster Foundation. Lodewijk Bouwens an employee of Radio Netherlands was also banned from visiting Zimbabwe.

Jackson said that they are seeking a legal opinion on the ban, which she says must be located in an existing law in Zimbabwe. "You can't just decide to ban someone. You have to do that under a law," said Jackson.

In a statement after the announcement of the ban, SW Radio Africa said that the act was a "reaction from a regime intent on penalizing anyone who supports democracy and freedom of speech". "The right to freedom of speech is enshrined in the Zimbabwe constitution and that is what we stand by. We will continue to give a voice to Zimbabweans who are able to use the station to speak freely," reads the statement.

SW Radio Africa also reminded the government that Graeme Counsel is unknown to them and Simon Parkinson who was also identified as their employee works for Highveld Radio in South Africa.

The ban on the broadcasters has been described as an act of madness and unconstitutional by human rights groups in Zimbabwe. The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) Chairperson Dr Lovemore Madhuku said that the act amounts to deporting a Zimbabwe national. "This is an act of madness. It amounts to the unprecedented and unthinkable act of deporting a Zimbabwean citizen," said Madhuku. "It is beyond any shadow of doubt unconstitutional and illegal even under our defective constitution. It offends every notion of freedom and justice," said Madhuku.

The NCA chairperson added that no government had the right to take away the birthright of a Zimbabwean. "A Zimbabwean who commits even the most serious crime can neither be deported nor deprived of his right to enter or leave Zimbabwe. He or she only needs to be subjected to the due processes of the law," said Madhuku.

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