Onslaught on ownership of radios shows ZANU PF is afraid

by Nomalanga Moyo on March 1, 2013

Police spokesperson Charity Charamba claimed that the radios would be used to communicate hate speech

By Nomalanga Moyo
01 March 2013

Media organisations in Zimbabwe have described the ongoing police ban on shortwave radios as “an onslaught on freedom of information” and a “gross violation of citizens’ rights” ahead of crucial polls.

The ban was announced on February 19th by Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, who claimed that the radios would be used to communicate hate speech ahead of this month’s constitutional referendum and elections set to be held later this year.

Media rights campaigners have condemned the escalating clampdown, saying the timing points to a determination by ZANU PF to prevent Zimbabweans from making informed choices in the forthcoming elections.

Patience Zirima, coordinator at the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (an umbrella group of journalists and editors), said there was no law in the country that prohibits anyone from possessing and distributing radio receivers.

She said: “Unless the police are a law unto themselves, owning the radio sets is not illegal, and confiscating them is a gross violation of citizens’ rights to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, as enshrined in section 20 of the constitution.”

Zirima added that the ban is exposing the hypocrisy of ZANU PF, which had relied on shortwave radios to disseminate information and to mobilise Zimbabweans against the colonial regime during the liberation struggle.
Earnest Mudzengi, director at the Media Centre, said the contempt for the constitution is nothing new and has always surged around election time.
“The current wave of attacks on free speech is not surprising, this is the season. ZANU PF is simply ensuring that the environment permits it to win and the police are simply being used as foot soldiers.

“The police know that they are acting illegally, that is why they have changed their reasons and are now claiming they are confiscating the radios because they were smuggled into the country.”

Mudzengi said the timing also suggests that ZANU PF is desperate to control what information gets to the people, by confining their access to state-controlled ZBC propaganda only.

“ZANU PF is aware of the power of radio to dislodge unpopular regimes and that is why they are closing every possible avenue that has the potential to enlighten ordinary Zimbabweans.

“They know enlightened citizens make clever political choices,” Mudzengi added.

  • philani ncube

    there is nothing to win here ladies and gentlemen comrades and friends these people are a mafia trying to force people to vote for them by creating fear,thats nul and void

    • Chimbwido Warvets

      How when all they are doing is withdrawing illicit radios that are in circulation? You can make these radios licit when Tsvangirai becomes the President of Zimbabwe after the elections which many of you think he will win. The Mugabe’s government is saying these radios should be withdrawn from circulation and laws have been very clear on this one. Why don’t you give him a break and comply with the laws and introduce your laws when you come to power?

      • mike hondo

        why cant the police/government just replace the illicit surruptitious radios with legitimate ones that are accepable to all the laws , im sure our china friend could knock up a couple of million of these in time for elections, i see agreat business opertunity here for you here Mr Warvets cash in quick and if you can get your hands on the confiscated radios you could export them to another country and double your money, i say go for it

        • Chimbwidos Warvets

          You know it very well that even during the time your kinsman Ian Smith was the leader of the short-lived illegal regime of Rhodesia, my people were not allowed to own short-wave radios. You are aware that Rhodies were concerned that they could listen in to Radio Tanzania, Radio Zambia and Radio Maputo in Mozambique, radio stations rhodies considered were inspired by the communists of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and China. Since then, the laws which were put in place by rhodies that disallowed such radios in the country, have not been repealed thus making it illegal for anyone to own such radios in the country. It is the law which is still in force in the country that has its origins to the era of Ian Smith and his rhodies.

  • dumbu

    Is Mai Charamba married or not ? Why is she acting like a bitch , moron or uneducated woman to the extend of displaying her ignoromous. Are these radios mend for ZANU(PF) or MDC(T) ? Let the people have their own choice in accessing information. These ZANU(PF) people are desperate as the election days are very near.They are decampaining their rotten party.

    • Chimbwidos Warvets

      Munhu akaora ndiwe usingazive mitemo yenyika. Mai Charamba anonzi pachivanhu mutumwa ‘haana mbomje’ pakuti arikutevedzera mutemo wenyika. Nyangwe zvikanzi Tsangson ave President wenyika nhasi achibva achinja mutemo wema radios, mai Chara will simply enforce the laws Mr Tsvangison will have introduced in the country. That is how it works in government, blazo. She is not decampaigning anybody as this is one of her terms of reference. If this was the case, why would you worry as she will be promoting your political fortunes? The fact that you are talking very much against it, clearly points to one thing that you are terribly concerned.

  • Chimbwidos Warvets

    Radios that have been obtained clandestinely and surreptitiously can never be legitimate. They have to be withdrawn at once and anyone who needs such a high powered radio needs to apply spelling out the reasons to own one. There are good radios that can be procured from the local market and one wonders why this option has not be utilized by those who want to have radios. Why order radios clandestinely and surreptitiously instead of doing it openly? It clearly indicates that someone is not being genuine here and such radios should simply be withdrawn from circulation.

    • dumbu

      ZANU(PF) is completely confused. These radios are made by man for people to buy and listen to , regardless of being ZANU(PF) or MDC. This is technology , kwete kuti radio inotaura icho nechecho. ZANU(PF) haichaziva chokuita sezvo masimba oenda zvachose kuMDC. Saka zvokuti ichi nechecho haaaa ufuza chete.

    • Yepec

      Even the white settler regimes in Southern Rhodesia, never instituted such draconian measures on the Africans whose rights they abused. Today it is radios, so what is it going to be tomorrow, next week, next month or the day just before the elections? Did you know that.1890 and 1980 is a reshuffling of the same numbers? Look at the mercenaries at work who do not have the interests of Zimbabwe at heart. Chihuri takes his orders directly from Mugabe, the dictator.

      • Chimbwidos Warvets

        Like our political analyst Wilbert Mukori, I think you were born yesterday and have no idea about your history. It is no wonder you are so foolish because you do not know where you came from, where you are now and where you will be in future. For as you do not know your history as a people of this country, you continue to be stupid, foolish and used by the white folks who know their history like they know the back of their hands. You have been told to believe you tradition, values and the way of life your ancestors led before the arrival of the white folks and like sheep you accepted.
        Let me tell you that even though the white settlers’ regime in Southern Rhodesia was illegal, they never accepted anything that would put them at a disadvantage. We were not allowed to own short-wave but FM radios and let alone to listen to any foreign broadcasts. It was a crime to listen to Radio Zambia or Radio Maputo at the time. Please Yepec read your history if you want people to take you seriously and do not be like our political analyst Wilbert who do not know whether he is coming or going and if so where. Visit university libraries to be acquainted with information that is too basic for an intelligent man like you.

      • Chimbwidos Warvets

        Like our political analyst Wilbert Mukori, I think you were born yesterday and have no idea about your history. It is no wonder you are so foolish because you do not know where you came from, where you are now and where you will be in future. For as long as you do not know your history as a people of this country, you will continue to be stupid, foolish and used by the white folks who know their history like they know the back of their hands. You have been told by the white folks to believe you tradition, values and the way of life your ancestors led before the arrival of the white folks were not good for you and like sheep you accepted. How foolish and stupid is that, mate. Today you follow the teachings of Jesus and ignored your own teachings from Chaminuka and Nehanda.
        Let me tell you that even though the white settlers’ regime in Southern Rhodesia was illegal, they never accepted anything that would put them at a disadvantage. They honour their ancestors, values and way of life which they leant from their ancestors which to subjugate other people. Everywhere they are found on earth they want to lead and to treat other human beings different from them as inferior. Everywhere you go they are the same.
        We were not allowed to own short-wave but FM radios and let alone to listen to any foreign broadcasts. It was a crime to listen to Radio Zambia, Radio Tanzania or Radio Maputo at the time. Please Yepec read your history if you want people to take you seriously and do not be like our political analyst Wilbert who does not know whether he is coming or going and if so where. Visit university libraries or even local libraries and acquaint yourself with information that is too basic for an intelligent man like you.

        • Yepec

          Please, spare the readers of your memorised mantras and tactics whenever cornered. My words “whose rights they abused”, says it all for those who can understand this level of discussion.

          What you say about the history of Chaminuka and Nehanda is nothing but regurgitation of the Border Gezi lessons, like the “Bvunza Mutupo” history of the Africans by the settlers. How you know it yet you ran away from the country the very time the white settlers lost power, is another story.

          However, people remember most of the contradictions you say on this post besides “kupamba” that which is not yours, like it was an “educated guess” for your choosing to settle in Britain and that the “country’s white population”, is in a minority status and, therefore, cannot afford to discriminate when they are in that status.

          What a shallow way of defining the basis of discrimination? If you doubt the statement above, listen to what Charity Charamba says are the reasons for banning and confiscating the radios in the country. Cry for the beloved Zimbabwe! The mercenaries cheated the electorate and stole power from them, now, they have the guns they need with which to intimidate the masses.That is what you are defending Chimbwdo Warvet.

  • mike hondo

    i say ban the televison sets next especially the ones with the dishes that can recieve western and eastern messages from the spy satalites circling over zanu pf properties and farms spying and gaining itelligence reports to exploit the minerals under the ground . and it also encourages people to watch other stations instead of zbc.