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State of the media report 2004
MISA-Zimbabwe
December 16, 2004

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Introduction
Zimbabwe, which is experiencing severe economic and political problems since 1998 remains locked in an economic quagmire characterised by high inflation which has seen basic requirements for an average urban family rising to Z$1, 5 million per month. Average salaries are way below this figure with a school teacher earning a basic salary of Z$700 000.

Although there were slight improvements on the economic front in 2004, the drop in inflation from 600 percent to below 200, has, however, failed to trigger the corresponding tremors that would signify the healing of the ailing economy.

Zimbabwe’s economic decline cannot be separated from declining observance of human rights by the present government. The year 2004 saw a continuation of the use of repressive legislation and sometimes extra judicial means to arrests media workers, clampdown on peaceful demonstrations and protests.

The government maintains a tight grip on the state media, which it has used for propaganda and in many instances propagation of hate messages.

The unrelenting propaganda faced by Zimbabwe’s ordinary citizenry without access to alternative media, has resulted in a society that is not only misinformed but losing interest in participating in national issues as there is fear of being caught on the wrong side of the "law".

At least two ordinary citizens were arrested in 2004 for allegedly "Denigrating the name of the president". The arrests done under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) had the chilling effect of ploys designed to silence the masses through the ubiquitous Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).

On more than three occasions, the pro-constitutional reform body, the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) demonstrated in Harare and other urban centers in Zimbabwe resulting in hundreds of its members being arrested, beaten, harassed and others detained.

Efforts by the SADC region to rein in Zimbabwe by introducing regional guidelines on the conduct of free and fair elections seem to be hitting a brick wall in the wake of cosmetic changes being implemented by the government on the conduct of elections. Real issues around access to the media, repeal of laws such as POSA that impinge on freedom of assembly and the creation of an independent electoral body, have largely been ignored.

Returning from the SADC summit in Mauritius in August where the regional leaders adopted and endorsed the Principles, President Robert Mugabe hailed the development as a step in the right direction. However, his statements have not struck the right chords at home given the proposed amendments to the electoral law.

The determination of the Zimbabwe government to remain in power at any cost is aptly demonstrated by the passing into law of the Non Governmental Organizations (NGO Act) that seeks to register, deregister outlaw and control the NGO sector in Zimbabwe. The NGO sector is one of the few remaining entities through which Zimbabweans were able to voice their anger and despair against the declining socio-economic and political environment.

All this is set to end in 2005 when the provisions of the Act begin to be implemented. The law was passed in the now common ruling party style of exploiting its majority in parliament.

Apart from the NGO Act, the government also passed amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy (Amendment) Bill despite challenges from the opposition MDC. The amendment seeks to jail and impose hefty fines on journalists caught practicing without accreditation.

All expectations of a new dawn for a democratic Zimbabwe which values freedom of expression, media freedom, freedom of association and assembly as basic human rights were dashed when the government stated that there was no going back on the proposed Bills.

The government was instead more than determined in its quest to further narrow the country’s democratic space ahead of the March 2005 parliamentary elections and not subject itself to scrutiny.

This knack for intolerance to scrutiny and criticism came under the spotlight when the government threw out of the country a 13-member delegation of the Congress of South African Trade Unionists (COSATU) on 26 October 2004.

The COSATU delegation was in the country at the start of what would have been a five-day fact-finding mission.

Besides meeting with representatives of human rights organizations and churches, ruling Zanu PF and opposition MDC, the mission was also expected to ascertain the government’s position on the NGO Bill, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Electoral Bill.

The COSATU delegation was also expected to learn more about the fate of farm workers on farms acquired by the government under the controversial land reform exercise.

But that was not to be. Immigration officials pounced on the team at their hotel in Harare’s central business district and ordered them to pack their bags because their visit had not been sanctioned by the government.

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