HARARE The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) on Tuesday accused the countrys ruling coalition of misplaced priorities for remaining silent in the face of increasing rights abuses and the jailing of a journalist.
The union – which has long been critical of President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirais unity government deal as serving the interests of political elites not ordinary citizens – said official silence as law enforcement agencies continue holding a journalist in prison has further dented the image of the coalition administration.
State prosecutors blocked on Monday the release on bail of a journalist, Nqobani Ndlovu, who has languished in jail since his arrest last Wednesday for writing a story claiming police authorities were hiring pro-Mugabe war veterans and recalling retired officers ahead of elections next year.
In a statement demanding the immediate release of Ndlovu the ZCTU said: The silence on the arrest of Ndlovu from government corridors has been deafening. “This and other incidents of rights abuses and arrests have further dented the image of the inclusive government and sends out a clear message that parties to the inclusive have misplaced priorities.
To block a magistrates order for the liberation of Ndlovu, prosecutors who report to Attorney General Johannes Tomana a hardliner Mugabe ally invoked a law that allows the state to delay release of dangerous suspects on bail for up to seven days. The ZCTU said it was depressing that the state resorted to invoking the law to block the release of a reporter, who poses no threat to society.
This provision should be used against dangerous criminals, the ZCTU said. This (Ndlovus continued detention) is a terrible blow to efforts by media groups and journalist to lobby and advocate for media freedom. There was no immediate response from the government to the ZCTUs statement. The Harare unity government has implemented some reforms to open up media space, including issuing licenses to privately owned newspapers to publish and compete with the governments vastly dominant newspaper empire.
But hardliner elements in Mugabes ZANU PF party and the security forces have in recent weeks moved to clamp down on the media and whittle down the little democratic space that had opened up during the nearly two years of unity government.
Nldovu is the third journalist to be arrested in less than two months after the police also arrested two freelance reporters last month while covering a public debate on the countrys proposed new constitution. The police two weeks ago issued a warrant for the arrest of veteran editor Wilf Mbanga, who is based in Britain from where he publishes The Zimbabwean newspaper. – ZimOnline
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