Opposition parties not taking up free broadcast air time

Harare (New Ziana) –The Government has expressed concern over opposition political parties in the country who are reluctant to utilise free airtime that the national broadcaster provides them to reach out to the electorate during this election season.

Addressing diplomatic missions accredited to Zimbabwe and observer groups on the country’s preparedness for the harmonised elections slated for August 23 this year on Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Kindness Paradza urged political parties to utilise the opportunity to sell their manifestos at no cost.

He said the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has slots such as the Ballot, the Candidate, the Manifesto, the Constituency Indaba for all political parties to take advantage of in selling their manifestos on all four radio channels and television stations to dish out their messages free of charge.

“However, let me tell you esteemed ambassadors and also observers, most of the opposition political parties they don’t want to utilise this free airtime, they refuse.”

“I am sure you ambassadors you have watched television news and where reporters are saying please we need to interview you the parliamentary candidates, local authority candidates, come and say out your manifesto, but they have refused some of them, and only a few have come forward,” said Paradza.

Paradza said his Ministry was encouraging all opposition political parties to come forward and utilise the free airtime as ZBC was a national and public broadcaster.

He said through its radio and television stations, Zimpapers had also come up with free airtime slots for the benefit of all political parties.

“For those who want to advertise, both Zimpapers and ZBC have drastically slashed their rates whilst at the same time they have also established elections desks manned by a full editor.

Paradza said his Ministry had directed that all foreign journalists wishing to cover this year’s elections were free to come and were assured of clearance, something he said has never happened in the history of this country.

Turning to the work that the Zimbabwe Media Commission was doing to broaden the media landscape in the country, Paradza highlighted that so far it had registered 183 mass media services which include foreigners.

As of December last year, a total of 3 326 both local and foreign journalists had been registered whilst 235 foreign media practitioners were accredited.

Paradza said a lot of positive developments had taken place in the country’s media sector under President Emmerson Mnangagwa who unconditionally decided to reform the sector.

“Our esteemed ambassadors and observers, this is the first elections to be held under a reconfigured and improved media environment since independence 33 years ago.”

“In previous elections, both local and international observers have been complaining about a shrinking media landscape. That narrative which had become a weapon to criticise us since the First Republic will no longer be necessary this time around,” he said.

The election is coming after the repealing of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) with the former having been replaced by the Freedom of Information Act.

The airwaves have also been opened up, said Paradza, with six new national commercial television stations operational going into the elections.

Azan TV from East Africa had also been registered in the country to broadcast, he said.

At least 32 local radio stations including 14 community radios that will be broadcasting in indigenous languages will also cover the elections.

Foreign investors are also free to invest within the broadcasting sector in Zimbabwe where they are allowed 40 percent ownership unlike in other regional countries where they are given 20 percent shareholding.

Parliament now has the responsibility to issue broadcasting licences and not the Minister of Information.

New Ziana