HARARE – Zimbabwean media have been subjected to more persecution since President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-election in 2023, according to Reporters Without Borders (RWB).
Reporters Without Borders, an international non-profit organisation which focuses on safeguarding the right to freedom of information, ranked Zimbabwe 116 out of 180 countries surveyed and published on the Global Press Freedom Index.
The best ranked country is on number 1.
“Access to information has increased and self-censorship has declined. However, the media have been subjected to more persecution since President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-election in 2023,” says part of the report.
The publication of the report coincides with the arrest and detention of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) senior journalist Blessed Mhlanga who is accused of inciting violence through broadcasts of firebrand war veteran and nemesis to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Blessed Geza on the publication’s broadcast unit HStv.
Since Mnangagwa came into power, a number of private media journalists, among them Hopewell Chinono, Garikai Mafirakureva, Wisdom Mudzungairi and many more have been arrested over politically motivated charges in Zimbabwe.
The media landscape remains dominated by state-controlled media whose journalists are hardly subjected to the abuse experienced by their private media counterparts.
There are many independent online news sites, including Zimlive and The Newshawks, and 14 community radio stations.
According to the RWB, extremely harsh laws are still in effect and, when new laws have been adopted, their provisions are just as draconian as those they replaced.
The amended penal code and Official Secrets Act and the new Cyber Security and Data Protection Act continue to hamstring journalism.
“In June 2023, the government adopted a dangerous ‘patriotic bill’, criminalising any ‘attack on sovereignty and national interest’, threatening the work of journalists,” says RWB.
The economic situation in Zimbabwe is holding back development of the media, says RWB.
The cost of creating a new media outlet is prohibitive and discourages investors, while the annual licensing fees for a TV channel can reach tens of thousands of dollars.
This situation allows the state to maintain its grip on the sector, with nearly 70% of print and broadcast media outlets under its control. Poorly paid journalists are exposed to the temptation of bribes, which weakens their independence.
