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Deteriorating
political situation
Media Monitoring
Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ)
Extracted from Weekly Media Update 2004-35
Monday August 30th – Sunday September 5th 2004
THE media’s
failure to report impartially on the country’s deteriorating political
situation manifested itself in the way they covered the continuing
political violence in the country during the week.
While the private
media carried about four incidents of politically motivated violence,
all of which named ZANU PF as the perpetrators, the government-controlled
media did not cover these events. They only reported an incident
in which the MDC was blamed for attacking ruling party activists.
Consequently, those who solely rely on just one section of the media
were left with a one-sided view of the tense political situation
in the country.
The government media story, carried in the Chronicle (2/9),
reported that suspected MDC youths had attacked two ZANU PF officials
in Lupane, including the ruling party’s candidate for the forthcoming
council by-election in the area. The paper quoted the police giving
an account of what transpired. However, no comment was sourced from
the MDC.
The private
media did not carry the story. They only reported on alleged ZANU
PF violence against the MDC. For example, SW Radio Africa (31/8)
and The Standard (5/9) both reported that ruling party
activists were beating up suspected MDC supporters in Mutare. They
quoted an MDC official, Pishayi Muchauraya, claiming that the violence
followed an inciting speech made by ZANU PF political commissar
Elliot Manyika during a meeting with ruling party supporters. Muchauraya
was quoted in The Standard alleging that Manyika had told
ZANU PF youths that they should "deal with all those
who sympathise with the opposition". Manyika denied
the allegation.
While SW Radio Africa’s report lacked police comment, The Standard
quoted police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena saying he had not received
reports of the incident. SW Radio Africa carried two other reports
of violence allegedly perpetrated by ZANU PF against the opposition
in which only MDC activists were their sole sources of information.
The government media, which have become the dominant sources of
information since the forced closure of private newspapers, did
not cover these incidents.
MMPZ deplores the selective coverage of such pertinent issues, because
such selectivity distorts the truth of these events and misinforms
the public.
Visit the MMPZ
fact
sheet
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