State editors told to attack Tsvangirai

Charamba was addressing the editors at a strategic meeting held in Nyanga two weeks ago. He reportedly urged the editors to continue pouring out propaganda in support of Mugabe saying Tsvangirai should never be allowed to rule Zimbabwe as he is a sellout.

A senior editor from one of the state media newspapers told Radio VOP that Charamba had called the meeting to ensure that all of them understood the need to ensure that they campaigned for Mugabe during elections this year.

The meeting was attended by editors from The Herald, Sunday Mail, Chronicle, H-Metro, B-Metro, Kwayedza, and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (formerly Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation),

Charamba made it clear that Tsvangirai should be destroyed through the media and said when election time approaches, the stories on the Prime Minister must not be balanced. He said Tsvangirai must be dressed down and even said we should not be worried about lawsuits but he did not explain what he plans in the case of newspaper being sued.

He said we should go all out in attack and never give him (Tsvangirai) a chance. The only strategy discussed at the meeting was propaganda. But Charamba also said that we must gear ourselves for competition from the many newspapers that are coming including The Daily News.

The meeting also discussed the performance of the government owned newspapers in the face of rising competition from privately owned titles.

The government owns the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings which operates the countrys sole radio and television stations while the states newspaper empire is the largest in the country.

Despite formation of a unity government and appointment of an MDC deputy minister of information, the government radio, television and newspapers remain under the firm control of Zanu (PF) zealots led by Charamba and Information Minister Webster Shamu who have used them as propaganda outlets for Mugabes party.

For example Charamba is known for his interference in the state media, often directing editors on what stories to publish or not to publish. He has alos used the states flagship title, The Herald, to attack Mugabe and Zanu (PF)s opponents.