Zimbabwe’s two most successful entrepreneurs, Strive Masiyiwa of Econet Wireless and Nigel Chanakira of Kingdom Financial Holdings, had created a holding company, the Independent Media Group, that had bought controlling shares in Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, the parent company of the Daily News.
IMG also bought large, though not controlling amounts, of stock in the Zimbabwe Independent and the Standard.
“These are important investments as they provide a much-needed financial cushion to all three papers and bring them into the orbit of Zimbabwe’s most talented and successful businessmen,” a cable released by Wikileaks said.
The three papers were expected to face competition from a new daily that was to be launched by Ibbo Mandaza who was described in the cable as a government sympathiser.
The cable even said that Mandaza was “practiced in the art of deception”.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 01HARARE897, GREATER SOPHISTICATION AND THOROUGHNESS
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
021132Z Mar 01
CONFIDENTIAL PTO6903
PAGE 01 HARARE 00897 01 OF 02 070830Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 COR-01 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00
SMEC-00 USNW-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00
DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00
ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00
PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00
/011W
——————CEA125 071115Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8335
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY PARIS
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000897
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY-CLASSIFIED BY LINE ADDED
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/PD (COX, HOWARD, SANDERS)
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00897 01 OF 02 070830Z
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA C. PALMA
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/11
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KPAO PINS PINR KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: GREATER SOPHISTICATION AND THOROUGHNESS
CHARACTERIZE GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST INDEPENDENT
MEDIA
CLASSIFIED BY PAO D. BRUCE WHARTON FOR REASONS 1.5B AND D.
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) IN ITS INTENSIFYING EFFORT TO CONTROL INFORMATION
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO
HARDEN ITS APPROACH TOWARD THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA. THE
GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) IS PURSUING A TWO-PRONGED
APPROACH: CAREFUL CONTROL OF THE CONTENT AND “SPIN” OF
NEWS REPORTED BY THE STATE-OWNED MEDIA; AND CONSTANT
CHALLENGES TO THE INDEPENDENT AND FOREIGN MEDIA’S
ABILITY TO WORK. BEHIND-THE-SCENES EFFORTS BY THE
STATE-OWNED AND THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA CONTINUE AS BOTH
SIDES JOCKEY TO STRENGTHEN THEIR POSITIONS. THE GOZ
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00897 01 OF 02 070830Z
CONTINUES TO PURSUE ITS AUTHORITARIAN INCLINATIONS WHILE
THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA CONTINUE TO SHOW COURAGE AND
TENACITY. END SUMMARY.
——————————————— —
GOVERNMENT SYMPATHIZER ANNOUNCES NEW DAILY PAPER
——————————————— —
¶2. (C) THE WEEKLY “MIRROR” ANNOUNCED IN ITS FEBRUARY 23
EDITION THAT IT WOULD LAUNCH “THE DAILY MIRROR” ON MAY
¶1. “THE MIRROR” IS PUBLISHED BY PROFESSOR IBBO MANDAZA,
A ZIMBABWEAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST AND DIRECTOR OF THE
SOUTHERN AFRICAN POLITICAL ECONOMY SERIES (SAPES) TRUST,
A HARARE-BASED POLITICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTION. THE
PUBLISHER IS PRACTICED IN THE ART OF DECEPTION.
ALTHOUGH MANDAZA DENIES THAT “THE MIRROR” SUPPORTS THE
GOVERNMENT AND ZANU-PF, EDITORIALS, THE WEEKLY ANONYMOUS
“SCRUTATOR” COLUMN (WRITTEN BY MANDAZA) AND EDITORIAL
DECISIONS LEAVE LITTLE DOUBT OF THE NEWSPAPER’S
POLITICAL ORIENTATION. “THE MIRROR’S” TARGET AUDIENCE
IS EDUCATED, URBAN ZIMBABWEANS. “THE MIRROR” CLAIMS
CIRCULATION OF ABOUT 20,000 PER WEEK (PROBABLY
OPTIMISTIC), AND CONTAINS VERY LITTLE ADVERTISING.
SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN EARLY 1999, ITS ABILITY TO SURVIVE
FINANCIALLY HAS BEEN SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY. THE PAPER
INITIALLY RECEIVED SOME SUPPORT FROM THE SOUTHERN AFRICA
MEDIA DEVELOPMENT FUND (SAMDEF), BUT WAS TURNED DOWN IN
2000 FOR FUNDING FOR A DAILY PAPER. SPECULATION IN
HARARE IS THAT “THE MIRROR’S” OPERATING COSTS ARE
SUBSIDIZED BY SAPES REVENUES AND THROUGH FINANCIAL
SUPPORT FROM ZANU-PF. IF “THE DAILY MIRROR” DOES APPEAR
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00897 01 OF 02 070830Z
AS ADVERTISED ON MAY 1, IT WILL OFFER A MORE
SOPHISTICATED COUNTERPART TO THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED
DAILY “THE HERALD.” IT WILL ALSO BE SOMETHING OF A
FINANCIAL WONDER, THE ZIMBABWEAN MEDIA EQUIVALENT OF THE
MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES AND FISH.
——————————————— —
TIGHTENING ACCREDITATION OF FOREIGN JOURNALISTS
——————————————— —
¶3. (C) THE JOHANNESBURG-BASED REGIONAL CORRESPONDENT FOR
THE “WASHINGTON POST,” JON JETER, TOLD US THAT HE
ENCOUNTERED A NEWLY CUMBERSOME PROCESS FOR GAINING A
PRESS CREDENTIAL IN ZIMBABWE. SINCE JUNE 2000 THE
PROCESS HAS BEEN SIMPLE AND FAST, IF SOMEWHAT EXPENSIVE.
IN THE PAST, FOREIGN JOURNALISTS SIMPLY HAD TO GO TO THE
INFORMATION MINISTRY, PRODUCE A PHOTO ID AND LETTER FROM
THEIR EMPLOYER, PAY (U.S.) $100 (IN US CURRENCY,
PLEASE), AND WERE ISSUED A WORK PERMIT ON THE SPOT.
THAT PERMIT WAS GOOD FOR UP TO 3 MONTHS. UPON ARRIVAL
IN HARARE ON FEBRUARY 27, JETER FOUND A MORE COMPLICATED
PROCEDURE. HE WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE DETAILS ABOUT THE
STORIES HE INTENDED TO FILE, THE PEOPLE HE WANTED TO
MEET, AND THE AREAS HE WISHED TO VISIT. HIS PRO-FORMA
LETTER FROM THE “WASHINGTON POST” WAS ALSO QUESTIONED
AND HE WAS TOLD THAT FOR FUTURE VISITS HE NEEDED TO
PROVIDE A MORE SPECIFIC LETTER, ON OFFICIAL COMPANY
LETTERHEAD. JETER WAS GIVEN A CREDENTIAL, BUT IT TOOK
24 HOURS INSTEAD OF THE HERETOFORE-USUAL 30 MINUTES.
JETER WAS ALSO TOLD BY AN OFFICIAL OF THE MINISTRY OF
INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY THAT THE PROCESS WAS LIKELY TO
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 05 HARARE 00897 01 OF 02 070830Z
BECOME MORE DIFFICULT WHEN NEW REGULATIONS GOVERNING
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTO6904
PAGE 01 HARARE 00897 02 OF 02 070831Z
ACTION AF-00
INFO LOG-00 COR-01 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00
SMEC-00 USNW-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00
DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00
ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00
PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00
/011W
——————CEA13E 071115Z /38
R 021132Z MAR 01
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8336
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY PARIS
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 000897
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY – CLASSIFIED BY LINE ADDED
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/PD (COX, HOWARD, SANDERS)
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 HARARE 00897 02 OF 02 070831Z
PARIS FOR WILLIAMS
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SA C. PALMA
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/11
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KPAO PINS PINR KDEM ZI
SUBJECT: GREATER SOPHISTICATION AND THOROUGHNESS
CHARACTERIZE GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST INDEPENDENT
MEDIA
CLASSIFIED BY PAO D. BRUCE WHARTON FOR REASONS 1.5B AND D.
FOREIGN MEDIA WORK IN ZIMBABWE ARE PUBLISHED. JETER WAS
TOLD THAT TELEVISION CREWS WOULD FIND THE PROCESS
ESPECIALLY TOUGH. JETER’S EXPERIENCE AND THE WARNING OF
TOUGHER NEW ACCREDITATION PROCESSES ARE CONSISTENT WITH
INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY MINISTER MOYO’S STATEMENTS
AFTER THE FEBRUARY EXPULSION OF THE BBC AND “WEEKLY MAIL
AND GUARDIAN” CORRESPONDENTS.
——————————————— —–
“DAILY NEWS” CLOSE TO ACQUIRING NEW PRINTING PRESS
——————————————— —–
¶4. (C) THE “DAILY NEWS,” WHICH HAS HEROICALLY PUBLISHED
AN EDITION EVERY DAY SINCE THE JANUARY BOMBING AND
DESTRUCTION OF ITS PRESSES, IS ON THE VERGE OF SIGNING A
CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF A NEW (U.S.)$4 MILLION
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 HARARE 00897 02 OF 02 070831Z
PRINTING PRESS. PRIVATE DONATIONS AND CORPORATE
FINANCIAL RESOURCES HAVE RAISED ABOUT ONE-HALF OF THE
PURCHASE PRICE. THE BALANCE IS BEING PROVIDED VIA A
LOAN FROM THE SOROS FOUNDATION’S MEDIA DEVELOPMENT ARM,
THE OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION. DELIVERY AND SET-UP OF THE
PRESS WILL TAKE ABOUT 6 MONTHS FROM THE TIME THE
CONTRACT IS SIGNED. IMPORTATION OF THE PRESS MAY BE A
CHALLENGE IF THERE IS ANY SUBSTANCE BEHIND MINISTER
JONATHAN MOYO’S THREATS TO BAN FOREIGN DONATIONS TO THE
ZIMBABWEAN MEDIA.
——————————————— —-
ZIMBABWEAN BUSINESSMEN SHORE UP INDEPENDENT MEDIA
——————————————— —-
¶5. (C) ZIMBABWE’S TWO MOST SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS,
STRIVE MASIYIWA (ECONET WIRELESS) AND NIGEL CHANAKIRA
(KINGDOM FINANCIAL HOLDINGS) HAVE MADE MAJOR INVESTMENTS
IN THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA. THE TWO HAVE CREATED A
HOLDING COMPANY, THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA GROUP (IMG) THAT
HAS BOUGHT CONTROLLING SHARES IN ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS
OF ZIMBABWE (ANZ), THE PARENT COMPANY OF THE “DAILY
NEWS.” IMG HAS ALSO BOUGHT LARGE, THOUGH NOT
CONTROLLING AMOUNTS, OF STOCK IN THE “ZIMBABWE
INDEPENDENT” AND THE “STANDARD.” THESE ARE IMPORTANT
INVESTMENTS AS THEY PROVIDE A MUCH-NEEDED FINANCIAL
CUSHION TO ALL THREE PAPERS AND BRING THEM INTO THE
ORBIT OF ZIMBABWE’S MOST TALENTED AND SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESSMEN. (NB: BOTH MASIYIWA AND CHANAKIRA WERE
THREATENED BY GOZ-ENGINEERED LAWSUITS IN 2000 WHEN IT
BECAME APPARENT THAT NEITHER OF THE MEN SUPPORTED ZANU-
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 HARARE 00897 02 OF 02 070831Z
PF. SINCE MID-2000 MASIYIWA HAS LIVED IN SOUTH AFRICA,
REPORTEDLY TO AVOID HARASSMENT BY GOVERNMENT OR ZANU-PF
OFFICIALS AND SUPPORTERS. END NB.) IMG’S CREATION
BODES WELL FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA IN
ZIMBABWE.
IRVING
CONFIDENTIAL
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