CAPE TOWN - Zimbabweans have, for the last 10 years, known that The Herald has been used as a weapon of mass destruction by the Mugabe regimeit has amazed, shocked, confused, and humoured, but always misled with their the pathetic and incredible propaganda. In the past few weeks it has been brought to our attention that The Herald is partly owned by Old Mutual. Clearly we have ignored the role Old Mutual has played in the struggle for too long. It is Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda, who is also the Chairman of Old Mutual Zimbabwe, that defended the investment in Zimbabwe Newspapers Ldt (which owns the herald)a mayor who claims that his company does not get involved in politics.
He has sold out not only the Zimbabwean people, but his own values; he has denied his past. Masunda is the former CEO of Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), the parent company of The Daily News, which was controversially banned by the Mugabe government even after the court ruled that the newspaper should be allowed to resume operations.
Masunda himself claimed at the time that there was a clear attack on freedom of press in Zimbabwe. He now stands and defends Old Mutuals invested interest in The Herald. What a change! He must be well paid; his loyalty will surely be rewarded.
The Zimbabwe Newspapers Ltd investment is clearly just the tip of an iceberg of corruption between the Mugabe regime and Old Mutual. Muchadeyi Masunda is now in denial and has neglected to acknowledge the severe damage investments of this kind have done to millions of Zimbabweans by dividing, wrongly educating, confusing, lying and preaching hate. He defends the investment, claiming that it makes financial sense, even while the newspaper has allegedly been dependant on subsidies to survive. Old Mutual has also invested in the pillage of our state resources and in Zanu (PF) mass murders by, for example, investing in diamond mining in Chiedzwa and Marange. Indeed, it is not necessary to dance with the devil unless you intend to benefit from his poisonous fruit.
Old Mutual, you cannot defend these investments! We do not care if your shares are one thousand years old, Zimpapers is a weapon against the people. The diamonds must be left alone. Withdraw or let us accept that Old Mutual is a company run by white collar criminals. Your defence thus far has already led us to question the companys morality and respect for human rights, thus we shall likely lodge a Human Rights Commission complaint against you.
Our online petition has over 1200 signatures and we are close to getting over 5000 people to sign a written petition, and we shall engage in a heated protest campaign.
If you do not concede your ill-doing and withdraw from these two investments, you will definitely ensure you get the shame you deserve. It is clear that will affect you financially, as we can see looking at the number of people who have threatened to withdraw their investments. Is this really in the interest of your policy holders?
To view or sign the petition visit: www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?passop01&1
Post published in: Opinions