Zimbabwe’s state-appointed media licencing body has threatened to cancel the licence of an independent weekly that it alleges has violated the country’s tough media laws.
The Media and Information Commission wrote to the Tribune newspaper on Monday — International Press Freedom Day — notifying it of its intention to suspend or cancel its operating permit.
MIC chairperson Tafataona Mahoso said in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, that the commission has noticed changes in the paper’s trade name, form and frequency of publication.
”You have a mandatory obligation to notify the commission of such substantial and material changes.
”The commission has not been notified and in terms of [the law], you are hereby notified of the the commission’s intention to suspend or cancel ATN’s [Africa Tribune Newspapers] registration certificate,” the letter said.
Mahoso gave the paper, which publishes on Fridays, seven days to give reasons why it should not be closed.
The MIC also complained that it had not been notified of ownership changes at the paper, as required by a media law that came into effect two years ago.
The paper is owned by ATN and one of the main shareholders is former journalist Kindness Paradza, a ruling Zanu-PF legislator who was last week suspended from the party.
His suspension came after allegations in the state media that he had gone to Britain to seek funding for his paper.
He also allegedly sought financial assistance from the owners of the Daily News, a strong critic of President Robert Mugabe’s government that was closed down by the government last year.
The Tribune was launched on June 1 2002, publishing a business edition on Thursday and a general news one on Friday. It has since merged the two into one weekly.
Publisher Paradza, in a speech in Parliament in March, criticised the country’s media laws.
”These laws should be critically and soberly examined to check whether they do not restrict or prohibit local investment in the broadcasting services,” said Paradza. — Sapa-AFP
Mugabe threatens another newspaper