This week's issues
| Charamba behaving like Zanu commissar - Arthur |
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| Written by SW Radio Africa |
| Monday, 12 October 2009 16:29 |
 HARARE - Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara (Pictured) said last week that individuals for the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) have been approved by the Principals and it's now just a matter of announcing the commission.He dismissed as “illegal” the announcements made by information minister Webster Shamu, appointing mostly Zanu (PF) apologists and military personnel to the boards of the six media organisations under his ministry. "The appointment of the boards of Zimpapers and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, must be reversed as illegal and un-procedural. But the media commissions have gone through the President and the Prime Minister... and now it's a question of announcing them,” said Mutambara. Press Secretary George Charamba told editors last week that the ZMC would come into being only when three other constitutional commissions had been put in place. These are the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission. There are fears that this is another attempt to delay much needed media reform, especially as it is not known how long it will take for the three commissions to be set up. When asked about Charamba's statement, Mutambara said the press secretary was wrong and not qualified to speak in that way. "These are the individuals who are damaging the standing of the government by speaking out of turn and speaking without authority. We do not take that kindly; he has no authority to speak as he has done. He is a civil servant but he is behaving like a political commissar,” he added. Sources close to government allege that Charamba, who is also Mugabe's spokesperson, helped set up the media boards. He is said to have added people like Charles Utete, the former secretary to the president and the cabinet, and Tafataona Mahoso, the media hangman who worked closely with him to muzzle the media. “We do not approve of his activities. We take strong exception to these quasi-political activities being carried out by a civil servant,” said Mutambara. |
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