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Mhlanga lambasts Mahoso
Maxwell Sibanda, Daily News
July 10, 2011

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/index.php/news/34-news/3190-mhlanga-lambasts-mahoso.html

Controversial Bulawayo playwright Cont Mhlanga has attacked Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) chairman, Tafataona Mahoso claiming that that new television licenses can only be issued in 2013.

Mhlanga said he could not understand Mahoso, a highly educated academic for his shallow minded approach to this sensitive issue.

"I fail to understand that man - where did he get his education from? He thinks we are so gullible and he seems happy to announce that after 31 years of having one broadcasting station, we still need two more years in that state. That is abnormal to say the least," said Mhlanga.

He said he found Mahoso's announcement bizarre. "After the announcements I wondered whether we were a normal country.

We cannot go on having a single station and even other countries in SADC are taken aback by the way we think because in their countries they is not scared to have more operating stations. We are seriously abnormal if we continue to live like this."

He said the colonial station used to be called RBC (Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation) was still the same one being used after independence in 1980. "They just replaced the R with a Z and now it is called ZBC."

The operating mentality is still the same. The editorial policy in which the majority of blacks were always undermined still exists at this station. And Mahoso and his friends think we are happy living in an ancient era where we are not allowed to express our feelings," said Mhlanga.

Dub poet and musician Albert Nyathi said 2013 was rather too long for Zimbabweans to wait for the opening of television channels and even then he doubted if it would ever materialise.

"The earlier the better, but with the way things are done here you would find it would be better if it was genuine that by then (2013) the licenses would be issued for sure - otherwise it is something that had been promised for the past years," said Nyathi.

He said the absence of community radio stations was something that worried him most. "We need community radio stations that can be able to broadcast in our minority languages. Up to when will we will keep on broadcasting in English? A radio station in Binga should be able to broadcast in its own language and so is one in Mutorashanga," said the dub poet.

He said Zimbabwean languages were fast diminishing and this was affecting the promotion of cultural and linguistic development.

"If you go to South Africa you will find every community running its own radio station. I have had a number of interviews while in South Africa and it is amazing how community broadcasting has changed the lives of many communities. The people in communities run their own stations and even universities have their own. It is funny when you come to Zimbabwe," said Nyathi.

Mahlanga said the unity government had to find money to fund the process of freeing the airwaves before we hold the constitutional referendum.

"We need more radio and television stations before the referendum so that Zimbabweans can be able to debate on the issue in an open and democratic manner. As it stands, it is only Zanu PF's voice that is heard on ZBC.

We need new players with different editorial policies that can also favour other independent voices," said Mhlanga.

The playwright could not understand why those in the unity government were failing to negotiate a way out and issue licenses. "Why are these guys in government when they cannot do just this one simple thing - open the airwaves to independent broadcasters?"

Mhlanga said by just watching ZBC TV one would automatically see that Zimbabwe was not ready for elections.

"If anyone wants to know more about ZBC TV's political bias, he or she needs not go far in search of answers. You do not have to ask Mugabe or Tsvangirai to tell you. One has to just take time and spend an hour watching ZTV - on any time of the day - and you will be shocked at how the playing field is so uneven."

The playwright said it was time to launch independent broadcasters within the country so that artists within the creative sector would be able to portray the nation's true identity and image.

"We need a competitive broadcasting sector that can address the concerns of the whole nation without political bias. It is not fair to continue living with one station because this was killing the country's image.

Why can we not have the liberty to express ourselves differently from ZBC's desired expression of views?" asked Mhlanga.

He said it was time that new players were admitted into the playing field because ZBC did not have finances to pay for new commissions and they were also failing to pay royalties for the music they played on their stations.

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