ZIMBABWE — HARARE – The MDC is calling on all journalists in the country, especially those in the State media, to play a positive role in moving our country forward through assisting national healing and creating hope.

 

We note with dismay that the State-controlled media continues with its use of hate speech and propaganda which flies in the face of the spirit of national engagement and the political settlement in Harare last week.

 

The Herald, through spiteful political columnists such as Nathaniel Manheru, continues to use hostile language that is out of time with the political developments on the ground.

Last Saturday, Manheru used uncivilized language, peddling the usual falsehood that the MDC is full of imaginary puppets of the whites and that Zanu PF should be careful as the nation navigates towards an inclusive government. He used derogatory language against elected officials.

Such behaviour is unwelcome and jeopardizes the spirit of togetherness which was guaranteed and endorsed by SADC and the African Union in Harare last week.

Manheru is a well known civil servant who continues to abuse his position. He has not toned down his hate speech, confirming that he is a front for a minority and parasitic elite which is benefiting from the current crisis; a clique that is deriving profit from the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe.

The ZBC and the Herald continue to give acres of space to analysts who want to poison the spirit of dialogue.

 

They continue to grant acres of space to people who shout at others instead of giving coverage to critical national issues such as HIV/Aids, national development and economic transformation.

The MDC hopes that public institutions such as the Herald and the ZBC will begin to appreciate that they are not political appendages. They must simply serve the people.

The public media should play a pivotal role in healing the nation and giving people hope.

 

The public media constitute the building blocks that are critical to the construction of a stable and peaceful Zimbabwe.

 

Their duty is not to place wedges in our society, create cleavages in communities and polarization in organizations. 

 

They should stop sowing seeds of despair and hatred but rather fertilize our country with the spirit of harmony, love and respect.

These are the values that will make Zimbabwe better.

The behaviour of national institutions, especially the public media, explains why there is need for a new Zimbabwe and a new beginning.

 

We need to start on a clean slate. The public media should be the melting pot for ideas from the MDC, Zanu PF and any other Zimbabwean who is
willing to contribute.

No amount of propaganda will dampen the people's aspirations for a new beginning. The public media will dismally fail in its attempt to sabotage the current spirit of dialogue and national engagement which has been endorsed by our African brothers and sisters through the
African Union.

 

We noted last week that we need to build bridges and extend the hand of love and harmony to one another. We have pledged as political parties to uphold the integrity of national institutions and at no time has the MDC deviated from this commitment.

 

 

The Herald's lies are being spawned by a coalition of desperate forces working towards the collapse of the current process that should lead to an inclusive government.

 Polarity and hate speech should be a thing of the past as we try to find each other. The greatest challenge of our time is not how best to throw brickbats at each other, but how best we can begin to address the people's daily challenges of food, jobs, better health and education.

 In the new Zimbabwe that we envision, there will be no place for gutter journalism. There will be no place for hate speech and unbridled propaganda designed to attack the national interest.
The collective will of Zimbabwe is greater than irresponsible journalism. Zimbabweans deserve respect.

MDC Information and Publicity

 

 

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