Politicians not sincere says Matutu

Masvingo-The Masvingo Central Member of parliament Hon Tongai Matutu has said politicians are not sincere in dealing with media freedom issues. He was addressing journalists at a belated Press Freedom Day commemoration held at the Charles Austin Theatre.

Matutu urged journalist to fight for their rights and not wait for politicians to do it on their behalf. Matutu said the political parties have other interests to do with their retention of power and discussing media freedom is a “luxury” for them. “Politicians are not sincere, including my self, when it comes to media freedom”, Matutu said.

Matutu also said there should be no question on whether or not media freedom should be guaranteed in the constitution. “That is an obviousity. It is a yes” he stated.

Matutu said because issues have to be negotiated, progress is slow in coming up with decisions and implementation thereof.

“We are setting the structures and those structures are doing nothing about media freedom” Matutu lamented. “Everyone is frustrated to an extent that journalists end up writing whatever they want under a pseudonym”, he continued.

Addressing the same gathering ZANU PF House of Assembly member for Chakari Hon Zacharia Ziyambi blamed “media house sponsors” who wrote negatively about the land reform resulting in the then ZANU PF government enacting laws to try and deal with the “bad publicity”. Hon Ziyambi said “people do not remain in power and bad laws will affect them when others come into power.” He accused foreign media of pouring money into the media in Zimbabwe in order to get their ideologies and agendas into Zimbabwe.

Matutu disagreed with Hon Ziyambi and urged investors to invest in the media instead. He urged politicians to “change their attitude in order to have a free media environment.” He described our situation as pathetic to an extent that civil servants are no different from politicians, journalists or activists. “Chokwadi chaicho ndechekuti chekufarira hapana”, he said. (There is nothing to be joyous or celebrate about)

MISA Zimbabwe chairperson Loughty Dube said as MISA they were advocating for media freedom to be guaranteed in the constitution, a self regulatory mechanism for journalists as a way to get redress not and a three tier broadcasting system that has commercial, community and public broadcasting. Dube said they wanted to see the transformation of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation to be a truly public broadcaster not what it is at the moment.

Dube gave examples of countries in the region that guarantee media freedom and access to information in their constitutions. He singled out Malawi, South Africa and Mozambique as having the best examples. Sadly Zimbabwe and Botswana are the only countries in the region that are lagging behind.