Journalists must be allowed to do their job

Press Statement from the MDC

The MDC is deeply concerned by press reports that government officials are insisting that journalists intending to cover the Investment Conference in Harare should be accredited by the defunct Media and Information Commission.

The MDC believes that the High Court order which declared the MIC a legal nullity should be respected, especially by the inclusive government which should be seen to be doing business in a different way.

A government that is enticing serious businesspersons to invest in the country cannot be seen to be defying court orders.

Justice Bharat Patel’s ruling was clear and unambiguous that the MIC is a nullity. The government cannot allow a non-existent body to extort money from journalists.

It is ironic that the inclusive government, which is trying to woo investors, including those wishing to invest in the media, would bar the same media persons from doing their work unless they are accredited by an illegal body.

The only message the government would be sending to investors is that Zimbabwe is still caught up in the yester-year mode of lack of respect for the rule of law.

We have lost much as a nation for our disrespect for the rule of law. The inclusive government cannot allow a few mischievous elements to stand in the way of press freedom, media plurality and diversity.

As a party of excellence, we call upon the inclusive government to immediately constitute the Zimbabwe Media Commission so that dead bodies such as the Media and Information Commission cannot be resurrected by delinquent senior civil servants who want to scuttle the work of the inclusive government.

Issued by MDC Publicity & Information Team