Zimbabwe to Ban Foreign Papers

Monday, February 6, 2012

Africa Review
By Kitsepile Nyathi

Zimbabwe's independent media regulator says it has asked law enforcement agents to bar the distribution of unregistered foreign newspapers.

The move by the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) has sparked fears of a renewed crackdown on private media in the southern African country.

The ban appears targeted at a weekly newspaper published by Zimbabwean journalists exiled in the UK.

A prominent publisher, Mr Wilf Mbanga, set up The Zimbabwean newspaper, which is printed in London and delivered to Zimbabwe through South Africa.

The paper filled the vacuum when President Robert Mugabe's government banned private newspapers under a controversial law introduced in 2002.

South African newspapers such as The Sunday Times and the Mail&Guardian had also taken advantage of the lack of independent media to launch Zimbabwean editions that proved popular.
Mr Godfrey Majonga, the ZMC chairman, said the foreign papers were operating outside the law and were not paying statutory fees.

He said the newspapers were supposed to register in terms of the much criticised Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

Draconian

The previous administration used the law to ban foreign journalists and international news networks such as CNN and BBC.

CNN and BBC were only allowed to report from Zimbabwe in 2009.

"The Zimbabwe Media Commission has resolved to appeal to the relevant law-enforcement authorities to bar affected papers from entrance into and circulation within Zimbabwe until they comply with Zimbabwe's laws," Mr Majongwe said.

He said the newspapers had ignored repeated warnings since 2010 to comply with the law.
ZMC, he said, had directed the newspapers to either relocate to Zimbabwe, register or obtain permission to operate a foreign mass media service.

"We regret to report that one year and half since our reminder to the affected mass media services to comply with Zimbabwe's laws by regularising their status and that of all journalists working for them, the same papers have not bothered to approach the commission," he said.

But the move has been criticised by media organisations as draconian and a threat to press freedom.

Since the formation of a unity government between President Mugabe and his former opponents in 2009, Zimbabwe has licensed a number of private newspapers.

They include The Daily News and Daily Newson Sunday which were banned in 2003 for failing to register in terms of AIPPA.

However, publishers argue that licence fees are too high and that journalists remain restricted from carrying out their work.
 
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