How to get accreditation as a foreign journalist in Zimbabwe

Journalists from the New York Times and The Washington Post were able to enter Zimbabwe and report on political and economic issues legally after following procedures laid down by Information Minister Jonathan Moyo.

Though the regulations were put in place 10 years ago, it is understood they still largely apply today.

The journalists followed the newly established procedure of applying for permission, on company letterhead, to enter Zimbabwe one month in advance of arrival. They dealt directly with the Ministry of Information in Harare rather than through the Zimbabwean High Commission in South Africa.

The journalists presented these letters to immigration officials and were allowed to enter with the instruction to report the next day to the Ministry of Information to get their visa/accreditation.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 01HARARE2327, AMERICAN JOURNALISTS SUCCESSFULLY USE NEW

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

031028Z Aug 01

UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ8732

PAGE 01       HARARE 02327 031030Z

ACTION AF-00

INFO LOG-00   NP-00   AMAD-00 ACQ-00   CIAE-00 USNW-00 DODE-00

SRPP-00 DS-00   EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00 VC-00   H-01

TEDE-00 INR-00   IO-00   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01   NSAE-00

OMB-01   PA-00   PM-00   PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00

SS-00   TEST-00 TRSE-00 T-00     USIE-00 PMB-00   DSCC-00

DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00 SAS-00     /005W

——————0D9006 031030Z /38

FM AMEMBASSY HARARE

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9412

INFO NSC WASHDC

AMEMBASSY NAIROBI

SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS HARARE 002327

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR GURNEY

PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS

NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL KPAO ZI

SUBJECT: AMERICAN JOURNALISTS SUCCESSFULLY USE NEW

ZIMBABWEAN ACCREDITATION PROCEDURES

¶1. THE SOUTHERN AFRICA CORRESPONDENTS FOR THE NEW YORK

TIMES AND THE WASHINGTON POST SUCCESSFULLY USED THE NEW

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 02       HARARE 02327 031030Z

MEDIA ACCREDITATION PROCEDURES PUT INTO PLACE BY

ZIMBABWEAN INFORMATION MINISTER JONATHAN MOYO IN JUNE

¶2001. THE JOHANNESBURG-BASED JOURNALISTS ARRIVED IN

ZIMBABWE AUGUST 1 AND 3 AND INTEND TO SPEND ABOUT A WEEK

IN THE COUNTRY COVERING POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES.

¶2. THE JOURNALISTS FOLLOWED THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED

PROCEDURE OF APPLYING FOR PERMISSION, ON COMPANY

LETTERHEAD, TO ENTER ZIMBABWE ONE MONTH IN ADVANCE OF

ARRIVAL. THEY DEALT DIRECTLY WITH THE MINISTRY OF

INFORMATION IN HARARE RATHER THAN THROUGH THE ZIMBABWEAN

HIGH COMMISSION IN SOUTH AFRICA. IN RESPONSE TO THE

APPLICATIONS, THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SENT

“INVITATION” LETTERS TO THE CORRESPONDENTS IN

JOHANNESBURG. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT IN HARARE,

THE JOURNALISTS PRESENTED THESE LETTERS TO IMMIGRATION

OFFICIALS AND WERE ALLOWED TO ENTER WITH THE INSTRUCTION

TO REPORT THE NEXT DAY TO THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION TO

GET THEIR VISA/ACCREDITATION. UPON PAYMENT OF THE USD

100 FEE, THE WASHINGTON POST CORRESPONDENT WAS GIVEN A

VISA/CREDENTIAL VALID FOR 9 DAYS, THE AMOUNT OF TIME HE

REQUESTED. THIS FEE MUST BE PAID EACH TIME THE

JOURNALIST ENTERS ZIMBABWE. THE NEW YORK TIMES

REPORTERS ARE TO REPORT TO THE MINISTRY LATER TODAY.

¶3. IN THIS CASE THE NEW ACCREDITATION PROCEDURE FOR

FOREIGN JOURNALISTS WORKED EXACTLY AS ADVERTISED BY

MINISTER MOYO. THE JOURNALISTS TELL US THAT MINISTRY

OFFICIALS SAY THEY “WILL BE FLEXIBLE” IF A BREAKING

STORY IN ZIMBABWE MAKES ADVANCE APPLICATION FOR A VISA

IMPRACTICAL. WE EXPECT THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03       HARARE 02327 031030Z

TEST THE MINISTRY’S FLEXIBILITY IN THE MONTHS TO COME.

WE WILL ALSO WATCH WITH INTEREST TO SEE IF UNFLATTERING

REPORTING ON ZIMBABWE MAKE THE VISA/ACCREDITATION

PROCESS MORE DIFFICULT.

HOOKS

UNCLASSIFIED

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