BULAWAYO – A group of Bulawayo based journalists who were covering the celebration of the city’s centenarian residents were Thursday forced out of the event by first lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s security with signs the President’s wife was determined to keep a private media plug from her functions.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife was in the country’s second capital to officiate at the event, held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
But it turned out those who were permitted to cover the function were Harare based ZBC and Herald journalists who now form her entourage.
Journalists based in Bulawayo were initially allowed to cover a march from the City Hall to the ZITF before the first lady arrived.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a journalist said Mnangagwa’s security was very candid in its position that only journalists assigned to cover the first lady were the only ones welcome.
“The boys in suits surrounded one photographer who was taking pictures and asked him what he was doing. They told him that the first lady has her own team.
“They then approached the Provincial Information Officer and instructed him to get all the Bulawayo based journalist out of the venue which he did,” said the journalist.
Journalists who were barred from the event questioned the wisdom of limiting coverage just to their colleagues from Harare when the object of the occasion would ordinarily interest a local audience the most.
“This is a Bulawayo event and the centenarians being celebrated are our people from the city. Since we were denied the opportunity to cover them, our listeners have been denied the right to hear about this event,” said the scribe.
Journalists who were barred from the event also felt mistreated by the first lady’s communications team which failed to inform them beforehand that they were not welcome.
Information Ministry secretary Nick Mangwana and Presidential spokesperson George Charamba were not picking calls when attempts to seek comment from them were made Thursday.
The event to celebrate and honour the city`s senior citizens who are 100 years and above was organised by SPA community Trust in conjunction with various organisations which include the Bulawayo City Council.
It is not the first time private media journalists have been barred from covering the first lady’s events.
Private media scribes were barred from covering the commissioning a clinic at the Marondera Female Open Prison in Mashonaland East province last month.
The media segregation has invited wide condemnation from various interest groups.
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe has reminded authorities to allow all journalists to enjoy their constitutionally guaranteed rights of access to information of public interest.
