HARARE President Robert Mugabes decision to pack boards of state media companies with trusted loyalists ensures he has enough manpower to undercut whatever reforms his unity government with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is looking to implement in the media sector, analysts have said.Mugabe, who has previously imposed tough controls on the media, agreed to media reforms under last years power-sharing agreement with Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara that gave birth to Zimbabwes seven-month old coalition government.
The veteran leader is soon expected to announce a new Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) to spearhead the media reforms that are part of a raft of political and legal changes meant to re-shape and democratise the countrys politics before holding of fresh elections by end of 2010 or early 2011.
But University of Zimbabwe (UZ) political scientist Eldred Masungure said the appointment of former military men and loyalists of Mugabes Zanu (PF) party to boards of state newspapers and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) showed that the President was not yet ready to embrace far-reaching media reforms.
The appointments bring doubts on the commitment of the Zanu (PF) half of the government to genuine media reforms, said Masunungure.
Appointments irregular
Tsvangirais MDC party is challenging the appointments that were announced more than a week ago by Information Minister and ZANU PF stalwart Webster Shamu and which sources say were personally approved by Mugabe.
The Prime Minister told reporters last Tuesday that Shamus decision to appoint the BAZ was irregular because the minister did not have powers to appoint the authority.
That issue is being revisited and appointments of board members of BAZ is the business of the President and the Prime Minister just like what we did on the appointment of the Zimbabwe media commissioners, Tsvangirai said.
It remains to be seen whether Tsvangirai and his party will this time round be able to force Mugabe to backtrack on the crucial media appointments after having so far failed to force the 85-year old President to reverse his appointment of allies to head the central bank and the Attorney Generals office.
But analysts were unanimous that if left unchanged the new media boards announced by Shamu would seriously undermine the ZMCs work and all effort to turn government-owned media into a truly public media.
They said this was because the ZMC that should spearhead such reforms has greater influence only at national media policy level while Shamus boards will have effective control on what gets to be printed in government-owned newspapers that dominate the newspaper industry in the country.
Propaganda sheets
Previous boards manned by Zanu (PF) loyalists have been accused of turning government newspapers such as The Herald and The Sunday Mail into propaganda sheets for Mugabes party.
Zanu (PF) loyalists appointed to the new board of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (formerly known as Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation) will also be able to ensure the countrys sole radio and television broadcaster remains loyal to Mugabes party, according to analysts.
And even more worrying is the move by Shamu to put former chairperson of the governments defunct Media and Information Commission (MIC), Tafataona Mahoso, in charge of the BAZ.
The BAZ is expected to spearhead the opening up of airwaves by allowing establishment of new broadcasters to rival the ZBH.
Media groups and pro-democracy activists say Mahoso is the wrong man for the BAZ job after his role at the old MIC where he became known as the media hangman after ordering the closure of four independent newspapers, including the Daily News, that were critical of Mugabe and ZANU PF.
Masunugure said: The appointment of Mahoso is a clear sign that Zanu (PF) will not in the near future want to see genuine democratisation of the media space in this country.
Ernest Mudzengi, the national coordinator of the National Constitutional Assembly political pressure group, questioned the motives of Shamu to appoint at least one former senior military officer to each of the boards of government media companies.
What is the point of having so many military people? said Mudzengi, who said the appointment of former brigadiers and other senior ranking army officer to the media boards was akin to militarising the media.
Among former soldiers appointed by Shamu is retired Brigadier Benjamin Mabenge who will sit on the ZBH board. Mabenge is accused of shooting and killing an MDC activist two years ago. He has never been tried for the murder.
Strategy to retain control
A Harare-based political analyst Michael Mhike said Shamus board appointments were a clear strategy to ensure Mugabe and Zanu (PF) retained control of government newspapers while Mahoso at the BAZ would block entry of new broadcasters to keep the airwaves solely at the disposal of Zimbabwe s long time ruler and his party.
They want to continue to control the state media and at the same time using BAZ to block new entry of broadcasters they perceive as enemies of Mugabe and Zanu (PF), Mhike said.
Zimbabwes unity government has done well to stabilise the economy but it has faired poorly on media and political reforms that have moved at a snails pace, amid quarreling by coalition partners over the extent and form of reform.
Post published in: News