Chakaodza says Jonathan Moyo has lost the plot

The editor of The Standard Bornwell Chakaodza said Information Minister Jonathan Moyo had lost the plot in his anxiety to control everything.

“Certain things need to be spelt out plainly so that even he can understand them. Firstly, the independent press will defy him, his crass legislation – and his cronies.

“Independent journalists will not seek registration because that would mean acceding to the rest of the draconian AIPPA.

“Any journalist, editor or publisher worth his salt will simply ignore the restrictions of the AIPPA,” Chakaodza wrote in an editorial.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 02HARARE1390, EDITORIAL URGES NON-COMPLIANCE WITH MEDIA

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HARARE 001390

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA

NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

LONDON FOR GURNEY

PARIS FOR NEARY

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAO ZI

SUBJECT: EDITORIAL URGES NON-COMPLIANCE WITH MEDIA

CONTROL LAW

¶1.   Under headline “Moyo: You have lost the plot” the

independent weekly “The Standard” dedicated its

June 9 editorial to calling on the privately owned

media to “simply ignore the restrictions” of the

newly enacted Access to Information and Protection

of Privacy Act (AIPPA), saying the Act is a

“ridiculous piece of legislation.” Excerpts:

¶2.   “In the tortuous world of Zimbabwean journalism,

the ultimate foolishness has to be (Information

Minister) Jonathan Moyo’s desire to force his

deplorable beliefs on the private press and foreign

correspondents. It won’t happen. No matter how often

he resorts to his grotesque AIPPA, and no matter how

many lawsuits he files against privately owned

newspapers and no matter how many pseudo-journalists on

the lunatic fringe he appoints to his media commission,

it still won’t happen. . .

“In his anxiety to control everything, . . .

Jonathan Moyo has lost the plot. And for that

reason, certain things need to be spelt out plainly

so that even he can understand them. Firstly, the

independent press will defy him, his crass

legislation – and his cronies. Independent

journalists will not seek registration because that

would mean acceding to the rest of the draconian

AIPPA. . . Any journalist, editor or publisher

worth his salt will simply ignore the restrictions

of the AIPPA. . . In any event, it’s impossible in

this age of the Internet and satellite

communication for governments to control

information and to keep information private. . .

Someday, Zimbabwe shall again be free, but not

before all of us close ranks to fight this

absolutely ridiculous piece of legislation – the

AIPPA.”

SULLIVAN

(30 VIEWS)