ZBC refusing to screen MDC adverts because they are too powerful

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation is refusing to screen two Movement for Democratic Change adverts, which the party has already paid for, because they are too powerful and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front cannot match them.

The MDC said today the adverts showed party president Morgan Tsvangirai and Mai Tsvangirai with their “incisive” messages on what the MDC will do when it forms the next government after winning the 31 July elections.

The party said it had been told that the ZBC was waiting for ZANU-PF to make counter adverts from Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace before they can screen the MDC adverts.

In the MDC’s own words:

Thursday, 25 July 2013 

ZBC fails to flight President and Mai Tsvangirai adverts

State broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is failing to flight two MDC advertisements which show President Tsvangirai and Mai Tsvangirai calling on the people of Zimbabwe to vote for the MDC on 31 July.

Although the MDC has paid in full for the advertisements, the ZBC is yet to flight them raising concerns of the public broadcaster continued disregard of the Electoral Act that guides political advertising during elections.

The two adverts in which President Tsvangirai appears with Mai Tsvangirai have incisive messages on what the MDC will do when it forms the next government after winning the 31 July elections.

The adverts which ZBC are declining to flight are already on the MDC website; – www.mdc.co.zw and Facebook page – zimbabwemdc have since gone viral.

Sources at the ZBC said senior management at the station felt that the messages on the adverts were too powerful and it would be difficult for Zanu PF match the MDC adverts and the station was now waiting for Zanu PF to make counter adverts from Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace before the MDC adverts could be screen on TV.

In her advert, Mai Tsvangirai appears telling fellow Zimbabwean women that she is aware of their plight in sending children to school and having food on the table, and that is why she was appealing to vote for her husband, President Tsvangirai so that they can have a better life and real transformation.

In another advert, the couple is shown informing the people of Zimbabwe that they deserve more and that in the next MDC government everything will be possible.

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