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Community radios under threat
Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS)
February 13, 2012

The Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations condemns the current systematic targeting of community radio initiatives by the state and its apparatus.

In a shocking move, Committee member for Ntepe Rural Community Radio Station in Gwanda, Mvelo Zondo, was visited at his place of residence by Officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (Law and Order Section).

According to Zondo , the officers wanted to ascertain the agenda and activities being conducted by the community radio initiative. The law enforcement agents went on to add that they had been led to believe that Ntepe was established with the goal of disseminating information which undermines the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe.

ZACRAS dismisses such unfounded allegations which seek to derail the operations of community radios. Community radios are established with a mandate of advancing community needs and aspirations. Such blatant acts of intimidating community radio practitioners are retrogressive in the fight towards the realisation of a Zimbabwe consisting of vibrant and flourishing community radios, which advance people-centred community agendas.

Barely 3 months ago, the Governor and Resident Minister of Bulawayo who is also the ZANU-PF deputy secretary for Information and Publicity Cain Mathema, labeled a community radio station operating in Bulawayo, Radio Dialogue, as one of the organisations calling for regime change in Zimbabwe.

Mathema made these allegations during the ZANU-PF 12th Annual National People's Conference held in late 2011.

Contrary to these sentiments, it has always been ZACRAS' contention that community radios should not be viewed as political establishments. The ZACRAS Principles for Community Radios categorically state that community broadcasting "is for, by and about the community, whose ownership and management is representative of the community, which pursues a social development agenda, and which is non-profit making. A community is a group of people sharing either a specific geographical area or common interest".

Unlike the state controlled ZBC which is an appendage of ZANU-PF and seeks to entrench the party's hegemony through spewing propaganda, community radios do not seek to further any political interests. It is saddening that individuals who are supposed to have citizens' interest at heart are the ones barraging and undermining systems seeking to improve citizens lives.

As espoused in the ZACRAS 2011 Harare Declaration, the Association recommends that the Government of Zimbabwe collaborates with ZACRAS and other freedom of expression lobby and advocacy groups so as to make provisions for the creation of policies, legislation and resources to support community radios in Zimbabwe and support their development.

ZACRAS strongly condemns the reincarnation of onslaughts on individuals and organisations deemed to be anti ZANU-PF, of which community radios have become part of the web.

ZACRAS reiterates that such wanton machinations by the state and its apparatus will not deter us from our path.

Community radio is an idea whose time has come, we refuse to be silenced!!!

Visit the ZACRAS fact sheet

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