Opinion by Citizen Reporter
What was probably the biggest surprise to me was the bouncing back of Jonathan Moyo in the new Zimbabwe cabinet. It left me doubting the intentions that President Robert Mugabe has with regard to media and publicity.
Jonah did not win any elections in the just ended general elections and his appointment must be credited to the constitutional clause that empowers the president to select up to five cabinet members from outside parliament.
Jonah after failing to retain his Tsholotsho seat for the first time in 13 years was a beneficiary of this clause. However, it is Jonah’s stained past that keeps on haunting Zimbabweans particularly those in media.
Jonah was the architect of, arguably, the most draconian laws in post-independence Zimbabwe in the name of Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). These notorious acts were used as basis to arrest people and harass journalists.
Media houses were closed and newspapers bombed. Journalists left the country in a haste signalling the landing of what they called a media hangman, Jonah. He introduced political jingles on all radio stations and TV. He introduced 100% local content.
He revised the editorial policy at Zimpapers and ZBC making sure that only ‘politically correct’ stories were published and broadcast. His era as a minister was the most difficult in Zimbabwe.
However, he was dismissed from Zanu PF and subsequently from the government following the Tsholotsho declaration, his brainchild. During his previous tenure, information was difficult to access because there was no internet and cellphones were very few.
But now, it is a different ball game altogether. However, fears are that Jonah will introduce media reforms to restrict the internet like in China where social networks are illegal and have been blocked. Same in Syria. Jonah may start from where he left in restricting independent media.
Who will forget when he instructed the bombing and closure of the Daily News and its sister paper the Daily News on Sunday. Remember the Parade, Daily Mirror, Joy TV, Moto? That’s Jonah for you. Remember Cde Chinx and Tambaoga jingles on radio after every 15 minutes?
Jonah’s deputy is another feared propagandist, Supa Mandiwanzira. His radio station, ZiFM Stereo which was awarded a licence under controvesial circumstances, was already driving a political agenda prior to the July elections. Media freedom is at risk in Zimbabwe.
I think Jonah’s appointment is meant to tame the rise of social media and citizen journalists. Facebook pages like Baba Jukwa and Mugrade Seven might have excerbated the conditions that facilitiated Jonah’s appointment as he is believed to be the only man with power to stop this.
However, it is Jonah’s appointment that exposed Mugabe’s double standards.
While addressing journalists in Japan a few weeks before the elections, Mugabe vowed never to appoint those who were to lose parliamentary seats to cabinet labelling them as losers. Jonah lost but has been appointed, why? Cry media freedom cry….
