US embassy cable - 05HARARE663

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000663 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF FOR DAS T. WOODS 
AF/S FOR B. NEULING 
OVP FOR NULAND 
NSC FOR DNSA ABRAMS, SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2015 
TAGS: KPAO, PGOV, PREL, ZI, Media and Communications 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPRESSION CONTINUES UNDER NEW INFORMATION 
MINISTER 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR CHRISTOPHER W. DELL UNDER SECTION 1.4 b/d 
 
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Summary 
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1. (SBU) Following his appointment in mid-April, new Minister 
of Information and Publicity Jokonya has made public 
overtures to local journalists.  However, Jokonoya has also 
reiterated his commitment to the existing repressive media 
laws and Government intimidation of journalists has continued 
unabated.  In addition, the state-appointed Media Information 
Commission (MIC) has been slow to make a determination as to 
whether it will grant an operating license to the Daily News, 
which has been banned from publishing since 2003. 
 
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Projecting A Softer Edge 
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2. (SBU) A ruling-party stalwart with more than two decades 
of public service, Jokonya,s credentials include serving as 
Zimbabwe,s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, 
Ambassador to Ethiopia, and most recently as Chief Executive 
Officer of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.  Since his 
appointment, Jokonya has issued statements promising a less 
restrictive environment for journalists, under the condition 
that they do not "malign" President Robert Mugabe. 
 
3. (SBU) In an effort to normalize relationships with local 
journalists, Jokonya hosted a meeting on 22 April for senior 
editors from state and private media during which, according 
to press reports, he indicated that while the GOZ did not 
intend to repeal the restrictive Access to Information and 
Privacy Act (AIPPA), he was open to debating the law and 
would consider supporting some amendments to the law. 
Jokonya further indicated that the Government would enforce 
the law less ruthlessly in the future and would also be more 
amenable to foreign reporters. 
 
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Actions Speak Louder Than Words 
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4. (SBU) Despite Jokonya,s public statements, arrests and 
intimidation have continued.  On 21 April, police arrested 
two journalists from the independent Standard weekly 
newspaper for "abusing journalistic privileges."  The two 
journalists had reported that during the parliamentary 
election missing ballot boxes had been located at the home of 
a senior ZANU-PF official.  While the GOZ does not dispute 
the content of the article - the accused official has 
appeared in court over the matter - it accused the two 
journalists of publishing the story with the intention of 
inciting public violence. 
 
5. The April 28th edition of The Daily Mirror ran an article 
implicating the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology 
Patrick Zhuwawo, President Mugabe,s nephew, in the seizure 
of a farm in Mashonaland West.  The journalist who wrote the 
article reported in it that during his investigation he was 
threatened by relatives of Zhuwawo, including President 
Mugabe,s sister.  On 30 April, journalists at the Daily 
Mirror reported receiving death threats from another ZANU-PF 
insider, William Zvinavashe, the nephew of retired former 
Chief of Staff General Vitalis Zvinavashe, after publishing a 
story about Zvinavashe,s arrest for his alleged role in 
hijacking a vehicle. 
 
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Daily News Remains In Limbo 
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6. (C) The MIC has repeatedly delayed making a decision on 
the case of the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), 
publishers of the Daily News.  After the MIC refused the 
ANZ,s application to register for a license, Zimbabwe,s 
Supreme Court set the MIC,s decision aside in early March 
and ordered the ANZ to resubmit an application for 
registration, requiring the MIC to deliver a decision on the 
application no later than 14 May.  The MIC was originally 
scheduled to meet with the ANZ to discuss their application 
on 29 April, but the MIC cancelled the meeting at the last 
minute, and rescheduled the meeting for 5 May.  At the 5 May 
meeting, the Executive Chairman of the MIC demanded that the 
ANZ provide a market analysis, financial projections, a bank 
statement, and share holder particulars.  ANZ CEO Sam Nkomo 
told the Embassy that the requests were simply another 
stalling tactic by the MIC. 
 
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Comment 
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7. (C) Continued arrests and intimidation dash hopes that 
Zimbabwe,s repressive media environment will ease in the 
wake of the elections and Jokonya's modest outreach has done 
little to bolster the confidence of local journalists.  That 
said, newspapers, particularly The Daily Mirror, which is 
controlled by ZANU-PF interests, and the independent weeklies 
Standard and Independent, continue to deliver hard-hitting 
stories that highlight government corruption and criticize 
the government,s policies.  In the long-run, the MIC,s 
decision on the Daily News is likely to be the best indicator 
of the Government,s intentions toward press freedom. 
 
 
 
 
DELL