Zim state radio resumes some of its normal programming after military takeover

Zimbabwe’s state radio resumed some of its normal programming shortly after noon on Wednesday.

The broadcaster’s Pocket’s Hill centre in northern Harare was taken over in the early hours of Wednesday morning as the army announced it had intervened in the country’s political crisis.

The SFM station was broadcasting it’s “Eat to the Beat” programme shortly after noon, while the popular Power FM was broadcasting its happy returns show.

A news broadcast at the top of the hour reported extensively on the army statement, as well as two other local news items and announced premier league soccer fixtures scheduled for Wednesday. 

Since early morning, all stations had only been broadcasting recent statements from defence forces commander Constantino Chiwenga, and from the army spokesman announcing the military intervention. In between there was only Chimurenga music – songs from or about the country’s independence war.

The state-run Herald, which had blacked out coverage of Chiwenga’s statement earlier this week, was due to put out a special edition.

The paper’s editor Caesar Zvayi said in a tweet. He tweeted a picture of the headline story that read: “No military takeover: ZDF (Zimbabwe Defence Forces).” News24.com