Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change has complained about the continued use of hate speech and falsehoods by the state media and the spokesman for President Robert Mugabe, writes Gugu Ziyaphapha.
The MDC says the government’s media propaganda militates against national healing and also contradicts the unity government deal signed with Zanu-PF last week.
The agreement states that the government media should not be used to demonize other parties to the agreement.
The MDC was particularly critical of George Charamba’s hostile columns in the Herald newspaper which described the elected MDC MPs as “puppets of the whites.â€ÂÂ
Information secretary Charamba, who also doubles up as Mugabe‘s spokesman, is the author of the controversial Nathaniel Manheru column.
Admitting that he was angry at Zanu-PF for signing the power-sharing deal with MDC, Charamba wrote in one of his columns: “The MDC was now an “embedded†enemy and that Zanu-PF should be on guard. The West will now have an eager listening post, right up to cabinet. There will be lots of policy pre-emption.â€ÂÂ
Luke Tamborinyoka, the MDC’s Director of Information, says: “Manheru (meaning Charamba) is a well known civil servant who continues to abuse his position. He has not toned down his hate speech, confirming that he is a front for a minority and parasitic elite which is benefiting from the current crisis; a clique that is deriving profit from the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe.â€ÂÂ
The MDC also accuses Zimpapers and the ZBC of giving acres of space and airtime to partisan political analysts who only demonize, undermine and rubbish the MDC.
Nelson Chamisa, MDC‘s spokesman says: “We note with dismay that the state-controlled media continues with its use of hate speech and propaganda which flies in the face of the spirit of national engagement and the political settlement. The MDC hopes that public institutions such as the Herald and the ZBC will begin to appreciate that they are not political appendages. They must simply serve the people.â€ÂÂ
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s football legend and former national team coach, Moses Chunga has turned down a job offer as a football analyst because the pay on offer was too low.
The popular and outspoken coach says: "I will not be appearing on television for peanuts. I have clearly told them I will not be driving to Pockets Hill (Broadcasting Centre) to appear on their football programmes because they are giving the match analysts a raw deal. I would rather go to my farm and slaughter a beast for resale."
