Zimbabwe employing selective accreditation of foreign journalists to cover elections

The Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zimbabwe) has established that the Zimbabwe government is selectively accrediting international journalists to cover the March Presidential elections, despite undertakings made to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, the Southern African Development Community and in the Abuja Accord.

Hard hit by the deportations and refusals for accreditation are British journalists. MISA-Zimbabwe has established that not a single journalist from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been accredited. The Zimbabwe government has however given ITN Africa Correspondent, Tim Ewart, the go ahead to continue coverage up to the ballot on March 9, 2002. Rageh Omaar of the BBC was expelled from Zimbabwe on July 25, 2001, after being accused of "bias" reporting.

David Blair of "The Daily Telegraph: was denied accreditation and deported on the weekend of February 16-17, 2002. MISA-Zimbabwe understands that a number of journalists, mostly from the European countries that were not invited to observe the elections, have also been denied accreditation.

The American Associated Press has been denied permission to bring in foreign reporters. The Cable News Network (CNN) has, however, been allowed to bring in two reporters but the two will not be allowed before February 25. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has been allowed to cover the elections whilst a number of South African based newspapers were denied accreditation.

MISA-Zimbabwe has not been able to establish a complete list of the names of South African journalists and media organisation that have been denied accreditation. A spokesperson for the South African High Commission said that they are not aware of any South African journalist who has been denied accreditation.

MISA-Zimbabwe understands that many media organisations have been told that only Zimbabwean reporters will be accredited. Twenty local journalists have so far been accredited to cover the elections at a fee of ZW$1 000 (about US$18.7) per journalist. It is widely believed that the limitations and restrictions that are being put on journalists who are to cover the elections will impact negatively on the flow of information of what would transpire during the elections.

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Information distributed by: Zoe Titus MISA Researcher Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Private Bag 13386 Windhoek, Namibia Tel. +264 61 232975, Fax. 248016 e-mail: [email protected] web: http://www.misa.org

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