Minister bans Mirror, Newsday from government functions
29 Feb, 2024
What happened
Midlands Minister of State and Devolution Affairs Owen Ncube has reportedly banned two journalists from The Mirror and NewsDay from covering government functions in the province.
According to The Mirror’s edition of 27 February 2024, the Minister singled out Sydney Mubaiwa (Mirror Midlands bureau chief) and NewsDay’s Stephen Chadenga during a meeting organised by the Gender Commission and ordered them not to attend future government engagements.
The meeting reportedly occurred at the Minister’s boardroom in Gweru on 27 February 2024.
The Minister asked journalists to identify themselves and then singled out the two journalists for representing “newspapers that attack government”. He then asked his security to see them out.
MISA's position
MISA Zimbabwe urges responsible authorities to uphold the media’s right to access and equally cover events in the public interest as provided and protected by the Constitution’s Section 61 on freedom of expression and freedom of the media and Section 62 on access to information.
Section 62 (1) states: Every Zimbabwean citizen or permanent resident, including juristic persons and the Zimbabwean media, has the right of access to any information held by the State or by any institution or agency of government at every level, in so far as the information is required in the interests of public accountability.
Therefore, we urge aggrieved parties to lodge their complaints with the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe or the Zimbabwe Media Commission for redress instead of issuing unilateral and detrimental sanctions against the media houses.
About MISA
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) was founded in 1992. Its work focuses on promoting, and advocating for, the unhindered enjoyment of freedom of expression, access to information and a free, independent, diverse and pluralistic media.
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Those affected:
Sydney Mubaiwa (Mirror Midlands bureau chief) and NewsDay’s Stephen Chadenga
Sydney Mubaiwa (Mirror Midlands bureau chief) and NewsDay’s Stephen Chadenga
Number affected:
2
2
Perpetrators:
Midlands Minister of State and Devolution Affairs Owen Ncube
Midlands Minister of State and Devolution Affairs Owen Ncube
Types of actors:
State
State
Location:
Gweru
Gweru