Zimbabwe legislator complains about too much Mnangagwa and Auxillia on ZBC

Last week as I was driving towards Bulawayo, I met three OB vehicles for ZBC that were coming from covering President Mnangagwa and they were also coming from covering his wife. So, it means that we have not moved from the previous dispensation. We continue to have State media that covers one person and his wife. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – So, Hon. Speaker, what we have done from the previous dispensation in terms of media coverage is to remove a mask and we continue to portray things in the manner that they used to be.

 We have seen cameo coverage of the opposition leadership. We have seen cameo coverage of the leadership of the opposition and the other political players. If you analyse the cameo coverage, you will realise that the coverage is usually in the negative rather than in the positive.  So, that is a sign that the editorial trajectory Hon. Speaker, has not changed.  Our media still remains entrenched in the politics of one political party called ZANU PF, which Zimbabweans think cannot lead to a level playing field in our elections. 

Hon. Speaker, we expect ZBC to one day take their outside broadcasting vehicles to a rally that is being held by Mai Mujuru, Hon. Chamisa – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – by any political party of this country.  It is only under those circumstances Hon. Speaker, where we can see any – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order.  If you have your opinions, the floor is yours after he has spoken – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] –

HON. P.  D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon. Speaker.  What I am saying is that when President E. D. Mnangagwa came into power, he promised every Zimbabwean that he was going to change things.  We do not believe that his promises are merely rhetoric, we believe that it is within his powers to implement the promises that he has given to Zimbabweans.  Zimbabweans want to equally see President Mnangagwa as much as they want to see President Chamisa – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections] – so that when they are going to make – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order.  The Hon. Member should not get confused by the title.  You should have qualified to say, President of the MDC-T, there are no two presidents in the Republic of Zimbabwe.

HON. P.  D. SIBANDA: Let me qualify Hon. Speaker.  The coverage that is given by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) to President Mnangagwa is not only done in his title as the State President, it is also done in his capacity as President of ZANU PF.  So, I am equating these two presidents – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE HON. SPEAKER: Order, order.  A leader of a party that is not in Government cannot be equated to a leader who is the Head of State.  That distinction must be made.  Do not try to justify or else I am going to ask you to sit down.

HON. P. D. SIBANDA: I accept Hon. Speaker. Let me qualify.  Hon. Speaker, if we were to follow on the promises that were given by President E.D. Mnangagwa during his times of coming into power, he assured Zimbabweans that he will try to govern in a transparent manner that favours every Zimbabwean.  Therefore, as we are heading for elections, I anticipated that the law will emphasise that the amount of coverage that is given to one political party, whether that party is small or big, in Government or not, it should be fair and equal.  There should be an element of equity.

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