The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) really needs to put a stop to their Zanu-fication:

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) statement on the barring of ZBC crew from covering an MDC-T rally in Gweru

The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe is concerned by reports that rowdy youths allegedly belonging to the MDC-T barred a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) news crew from covering the party’s rally at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru over the weekend, accusing the broadcaster of reporting negatively about their party.

The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) condemns in the strongest terms the barring of the reporters from executing their mandate of reporting accurately and objectively to society.

It is an issue of serious concern that the youths, and anyone for that matter, should interfere with journalists who are only undertaking their professional duties be they from the private media or state media houses.

The VMCZ is also of the strong view that political parties need to revisit their understanding of Section 20 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and access to information. It is this section that makes the right of the Zimbabwean public and all media professionals to receive and impart information a fundamental human right and not a privilege.

Political parties are strongly urged to restrain their supporters to refrain from attacking journalists and media practitioners and for the supporters to tolerate divergence of views that exist in the Zimbabwean society.

It is against this background that VMCZ urges all political parties in Zimbabwe 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. Email info [at] vmcz [dot] co [dot] zw

All reported cases are dealt with under the VMCZ Code of Conduct which regulates the operations of the media in the country.

After the SADC Summit in South Africa this week, the media carried differing interpretations of the results of the meeting. Reports were seen to concentrate more on which party proved best, who got embarrassed, or whom the SADC team least liked. Analysts however, have said that the ordinary Zimbabwean emerged the winner from the recent SADC Summit. Read the story here

From Pambazuka:

There are many reasons why the so-called “Mthwakazians” are a butt of many Zimbabwean political jokes, and you just have to ask yourself why the fight for a separate state or whatever keeps them in the papers is being taken to other “people from the region” who decided to follow their own political beliefs. You can see it here where the Speaker of Parliament, who they refer as “Laughmore”, is ridiculed by “Mthwakazians” who expect him to be in their corner simply because he is “from the region.”

And we read the other, the recently released Paul Siwela, demanding to meet President Robert Mugabe, but we all know the old man has other “more pressing” issues like how to cheat Father Time and remain a sprightly octogenarian for the forced poll. That the issues raised by federalists, devolutionists and other fringe pro-Matabeleland activists are legitimate, you just have to question their political savvy.

Just been going through online comments on the death of former Zambian President Chiluba who “died on the early hours of Saturday [18 June] morning.” The comments are from Zambians themselves and you get the sense that politicians do indeed change how the ordinary African folk – despite all the pretence – approach the concept of ubuntu.

Death, we are always told, is a realm where the living remain “too careful” about what they mouth concerning the dead, and it is all somewhat attached to our umbilical origins that “this is not how our forefathers taught us.” If anything candid at all is ever said, it is within private exchanges in pubs, diplomatic circles etc. But when you get it in writing despite being anonymous, you cannot have it any better than that.  It is interesting therefore that this is one of those few interpretations of existence where African Traditional Religion seeks to have common ground with Christian mythology despite criticism of the early missionaries that they saw all things African as inherently demonic. But who cares, we all live and die! Still, hey, you don’t speak ill of the dead, it just doesn’t jell, we all apparently know that: Ask Cont Mhlanga who tried it at the death of Mackey Tickeys but was soon eating his words! Yet over the years, the death of some political gladiators has been met by ordinary folks jettisoning these ages old strictures and speaking their mind about the dead chap.

So it has been with the Zambians concerning the death of the man once celebrated for representing the people’s pro-democracy movement from that anti-colonialist/nationalist time-warp to 21st century popular democracy. It is interesting in itself to note that shift from the traditional form of reader opinions censored in “family newspapers” [way before the advent of online press] has found unfettered expression online, and no doubt no “independent” newspaper would dare publish sentiments that have emerged in the aftermath of Chiluba’s death. Yet it provides many lessons and reminders about other presidents concerning how their exit from this wretched earth will be recalled in their death. For a peek of what Zambians had to say, you can check it out here. You will laugh, you will cry, you will understand the people’s “grief.”

For example one wrote: “Chiluba was a leader, good at first but later treated us like idiots. He became master dilibler, crooke and everything that caused pain to us. Grabbed somebodys wife e.t.c. Thts wht we shud be saying after death no one shud become a saint after death. We need to be real. MHSRP”.

Another added: “Let him meet his maker. he had the opportunity to take this country to great height but he became greedy. he allowed his love of women and money get the better of him whilst pretending to be a born again christian. that is the worst hypocrisy! we will now see all those that he gave money queuing up to sing praises…at the end of the day he was a thief of the Zambian treasury, a husband to Regina, a pain to Vera, a father to Vera;s children and a few others we wont mention. He has gone to meet people like Paul Tembo, Ronald Penza, wezi kaunda, Ngenda the lawyer who all died mysteriously, Levy mwanawasa…his day of judgement is here. jah rule!”

And for us Zimbabweans we just have to throw-back to a week ago for Tekere obituaries, and have to wonder what will be said about his remaining erstwhile comrades. Bad governance, kleptomania, human rights abuses have all bred traits among “ordinary” Africans that have inverted ages-old traditions that orbit around seeking to understand and coming to terms with death – especially that of politicians. One only has to recall how the death of Laurent Kabila was greeted in the streets of this country and the reaction of a chap named Chenjerai Hunzvi before he knew of course that his own end was nigh.

Sad indeed.