Zimbabwean journalist arrested in Malawi for taking Mugabe road pictures
By Lance Guma
26 May 2006

A Zimbabwean journalist, Tsvangirai Makwazhi and his Malawian counterpart Isaac Masingati, were briefly detained by police in Malawi for taking pictures of the pillar on the Robert Mugabe Highway in that country. Over 30 machete-wielding Malawians removed the plaque a few weeks ago while demonstrating their opposition to President Bingu Wa Mutharika’s close ties with Mugabe and the naming of a major road after him. Makwazhi, who is an award-winning photographer for the banned Daily News says he was gathering information on HIV/ AIDS in Malawi. He then decided to take advantage of the trip to take pictures of the pillar that had a plaque removed.

In an interview with Newsreel on Friday he says two heavily armed policemen approached them demanding identity cards. Because Makwazhi’s first name is Tsvangirai the issue became even more complicated with officials there saying MDC opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had sent him. Describing the pillar he was taking pictures of, Makwazhi says the gold plated plaque that had Mugabe’s name on it was removed leaving a hollow space. He said he was surprised that even with the pillar defaced, the police are still guarding the area, which is close to a roundabout in Blantyre. It’s reported the National Media Institute of Southern Africa in Malawi (Namisa) has condemned the arrest. Home Affairs Minister Anna Kachikho defended the arrest saying ‘“I thought everybody was there when the plaque was being unveiled so what is it that people want? There are better things to do.” Makwazhi is back in Zimbabwe and its not clear if authorities there will decide to quiz him over the trip.

Meanwhile the trial of two Botswana Television journalists for allegedly violating Zimbabwe’s immigration and media laws will start on the 26th of June at the Plumtree Magistrates' Courts. The prosecutor handling the case, Prince Butshe Dube, said the state served papers to the defence lawyer for the journalists, Beauty Mokoba and Koketso Seofela on Tuesday. The two were arrested late last month for illegally entering the country and gathering news without accreditation, an offence under harsh media laws. Makoba and Seofela were arrested while investigating a story on the outbreak of the foot and mouth disease near the Plumtree area.