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Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) statement on Econet Wireless's attempts to gag Alpha Media Holdings
Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe
August 05, 2011

The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) expresses grave concern at the High Court application by Econet Wireless for an interdict to stop Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), the parent company of the Zimbabwe Independent, from publishing stories that it deems defamatory.

While it is the right of Econet Wireless or any other citizen to seek legal redress in our courts of law, the VMCZ views the High Court application by Econet Wireless as an unfortunate attempt to undermine access to information that is in the public interest as well as an attempt to muzzle the media.

The VMCZ, while fully acknowledging the competitive nature of Zimbabwe's telecommunications industry, can only express regret that a company whose very existence is premised on the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression and access to information (as enshrined in Section 20 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe) seeks to have another media house, the Zimbabwe Independent silenced.

It is public knowledge that Econet Wireless has the largest number of subscribers to their services who also have a right to know what is happening at the company. As a public listed company with the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE), Econet Wireless has to be subjected to the same scrutiny as other public listed companies by the media. TheZimbabwe Independent, therefore, has a right and duty to inform the public on operations at Econet Wireless.

The VMCZ is of the respectful view that Econet Wireless needs to revisit its understanding of Section 20 of Zimbabwe's Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and access to information. It is this section that makes it the right of the Zimbabwean public and all media professionals to receive and impart information a fundamental human right and not a privilege. Particularly so if the information is in the public interest. The pursuit of court sanctioned 'media gags' by Econet Wireless on the Zimbabwe Independent can only be viewed as an attempt to deny Zimbabwean citizens this fundamental right.

It is against this background that VMCZ urges Econet Wireless and Zimbabweans in general, who have a problem with a media story as is published by print or broadcast media in Zimbabwe to approach the VMCZ Media Complaints Committee to seek redress.

The Media Complaints Committee has a Media Code of Conduct that all Zimbabweans can access and utilise for amicable resolution of complaints about media stories.

Visit the VMCZ fact sheet

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