Back to Index

ZBC now only for Zanu PF propaganda
Pius Wakatama, The Standard
July 25, 2004

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/skinned/features_reader.asp?st_id=4613

After a protracted debate with myself I decided that I would watch what is now popularly known as Dead BC (Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation) television or ZTV. Actually I think Dead BC is a misnomer. The State media is very much alive and kicking as the government’s propaganda machine.

Mind you I don’t watch it in order to be informed, educated or entertained. As a writer I need to know what is going on so I read and watch anything that comes my way. Of late I have been watching ZTV in order to try and fathom the levels of depravity and insanity that our Zanu PF government has sunk to.

The other day I was watching the news when the Zimbabwe Supply Authority (ZESA) advert "Zesa yauya nepawa" came on. My seven year old grand daughter, Tariro, sprang up and started to dance to the tune which I admit is very catchy. She was imitating the "sendekera’’ dancing which I think is rather lewd.

I didn’t stop her for I didn’t’ want to spoil her fun and maybe damage her innocence in the process of trying to explain why that kind of dancing is bad.

Suddenly the lights went out and we were in complete darkness. "Aaah’ said Tariro. "Sei magetsi adzima’’, (Why have the lights gone out?’’ I explained to her the concept of load-shedding. "Saka vanonyepa nhai zvavanoti Zesa yauya nepawa’’ she said. (So they lie when they say Zesa has come with power.)

Now she doesn’t dance when the Zesa advert comes on. She just frowns and says, "Kunyepa chete uku," (Its all lies).

Isn’t it bad that now even children realise that our government media lies? This affliction does not emanate from the government media only. The infection came down from the very top.

Recently I watched our President waxing lyrical and breathing hell fire and brimstone against the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) dominated major city councils. He accused them of incompetence and failure. He said they had allowed the roads to deteriorate to such an extent that even those named after national heroes have pot holes. This must not be allowed to go on, he thundered. government was going to take over.

Who does not know that the rot set in when Zanu PF councillors took over the running of Harare after independence? Why did government dismiss the Tavengwa Council in Harare and appoint a committee led by Elijah Chanakira to take over? I seem to recall that the government accused the Tavengwa’ Zanu PF council of corruption and incompetence.

Harare residents kicked out Zanu PF from Town House to stop the rot and elected MDC councillors to take over. When the MDC executive mayor Elias Mudzuri and his energetic council started to clean up the mess the Zanu PF government became jealous and fearful. Their corruption and incompetence was being exposed.

It was then that Local Government Minister Ignatious Chombo embarked on his campaign to harass Engineer Mudzuri. His council was refused due grant monies or permission to borrow. When they tried to increase rates government swiftly reversed their decision. Government departments owed and still owe the council millions, if not billions of dollars. How was Harare City Council supposed to operate successfully without money?

Finally, Chombo sacked Mudzuri and suspended those MDC councilors who refused to kowtow to him and his rejected party. This was a clear demonstration of Zanu PF’s utter disrespect for Harare residents who had elected them. They had not complained about the performance of council at all and were, infact, satisfied with the way Mudzuri and his team were tackling the city’s problems.

Now they have elevated the gaudily dressed and not-so-bright Sekesai Makwavarara to act as mayor, even though council members had elected Doctor Christopher Mushonga to the position in accordance with the law.

I have often said that our government is a totalitarian dictatorship. Dictators are basically cowards who fear the truth. They hold on to power by using force and lies. This is why in Zimbabwe only the government can own and operate television and radio stations. Ordinary citizens are not allowed to own or operate these media because they tell the people the truth and thus expose the government’s cruelty and lies. Newspapers like The Daily News, The Standard and The Independent which tell the truth are banned, prosecuted and persecuted.

Through its controlled media the government wants to control our lives and minds. As far as they are concerned they are the only ones who know what is good for Zimbabwe and its people. They are Gods whose will must not be questioned or challenged. Actually, they are more than God because He gave people the will to obey him or not to.

The arts have not escaped the government’s attention. Minister of Information and Publicity, Jonathan Moyo has spent much time working out ways of harnessing the arts especially music, to propagate Zanu PF’s lies. He recently released an album written and composed by himself. One can rest assured that it will be endlessly played on ZBC radio during prime time.

He must have learnt well from Joseph Stalin, the Russian dictator. When Stalin imposed absolute control in Russia, his doctrine of "socialist realism" reduced all art forms to propaganda media for the State. Artists whose creativeness was free and unfettered, and reflected the truth around them, were severely punished as criminal or political offenders.

In Zimbabwe music, which does not glorify the State and its President have little chance of being aired on ZBC. The Shona music guru, Thomas Mapfumo’s incisive music is rarely heard. Infact, it is safe to say that it is banned. Before Jonathan Moyo creative life was bustling at ZBC.

Artists searched and experimented freely. Some of the music and drama productions were excellent others were horrible. It was all in a free atmosphere. Now there is nothing but depressing mediocrity posing as art when it is undisguised government propaganda.

The only artists one hears are such failures who have become Zanu PF boot-lickers like Andy Brown, Fortunate Matenga, Last Chiangwa and others.

Recently the government’s Censorship Board banned the play, Super Patriots and Morons performed by Rooftop Productions over concerns that it blasted President Robert Mugabe’s administration. The script shows how the government of a fictitious country is abusing authority in order to maintain power.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP