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ZMC entangled in financial and logistical problems
MISA-Zimbabwe
May 17, 2010
The Zimbabwe
Media Commission (ZMC) last week allegedly postponed to end of May
a crucial workshop to expedite the licensing of new newspapers owing
to financial problems and reports on allegations of disagreements
among commissioners on resource persons to the workshop. The workshop
was scheduled to begin on 13 May 2010.
According to
The Standard, the commissioners are allegedly divided on the hiring
of Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu, his
Permanent Secretary George Charamba and Attorney- General Johannes
Tomana and University
of Zimbabwe's law lecturer, Professor Geoff Feltoe. Commissioners
with ZANU PF linkages are allegedly backing the Shamu team.
A committee
headed by the ZMC Chairperson, Godfrey Majonga and deputized by
Commissioner Matthew Takaona has been set up to look into the matter
of resource persons.
The workshop
was, amongst other things, supposed to include a board meeting that
would allow the commissioners to look into the applications submitted
by mass media houses seeking licenses. This postponement is feared
to result in further delays in the licensing new and old newspapers.
It is alleged that the commission unanimously agreed that the first
operating license would be granted to the banned Associated Newspapers
of Zimbabwe following the recommendations of a special commission
led by the late Chinondidyachii Mararike after a High Court judgment
which compelled government to deal with the ANZ case in 2007.
The ZMC's
operational problems are largely due to the fact that it still has
not received its 2010 National budget allocation of US$ 47 000.
Background
The ZMC is
yet to license new media houses since it was officially appointed
on 19 February 2010. By 4 May 2010, the ZMC Chairperson Godfrey
Majonga said the commission had received applications, with at least
five new applicants making enquiries on the registration procedures;
and Alpha media's The Newsday, having completed and submitted
its form for application.
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