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Daily News (Harare)
Encyclopedia
The Daily News was a Zimbabwe
an independent newspaper published in Harare
. Its presses were bombed and it was banned in 2003.
, was a journalist notorious for his criticism of Robert Mugabe
. The Daily News was the last independently run newspaper in Zimbabwe, and had a circulation of over 100,000.
. The paper's premises were bombed twice, allegedly by the Zanu-PF militia, although no-one has yet been charged for the incidents.
(ZNLWVA), police and the government on frequent occasions. The ZNLWVA leader Chenjerai Hunzvi
threatened the newspaper for talking about them in a repeatedly negative way: "I do not want to start a war with the newspaper, but this is my last warning."
On June 9, 2000, a group of war veterans in the town of Kwekwe
seized copies of the Daily News and burned them. War veterans have also severely beaten Chengetai Zvauya, a Daily News reporter, after threatening to do so.
when registering the company. Muchadeyi Masunda
, chief executive of ANZ claimed that the charges were "unfathomable".
dropped the accusations under the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to prove the newspaper was being published illegally and ordered that the newspaper be allowed to continue publishing. However, the government later ignored this ruling by Justice Selo Nare, with Information minister Jonathan Moyo
saying that it carried no weight, as the judge had no power to defy the strict Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
(AIPPA) media laws set by the government the previous years. The Media and Information Commission (MIC) claimed that the newspaper did not have a license to publish under the new laws. "A cardinal principle of the rule of law is that while the courts have a duty to interpret the law, the executive [government] has a duty to implement the law and this is precisely what the government is going to do in this case," Moyo said.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an independent newspaper published in Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
. Its presses were bombed and it was banned in 2003.
History
The Daily News was first launched on July 31, 1999, and controversially banned in defiance of a court ruling in 2003. Its founder, Geoffrey NyarotaGeoffrey Nyarota
Geoffrey Nyarota is an award-winning Zimbabwean journalist and author. He is the managing editor of , an online newspaper. His first book, Against the Grain, Memoirs of a Zimbabwean Newsman, was published by Zebra Press of South Africa in 2006....
, was a journalist notorious for his criticism of Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
. The Daily News was the last independently run newspaper in Zimbabwe, and had a circulation of over 100,000.
Controversy
Many perceived the Daily News to be connected to the Movement for Democratic Change party, because of its constant criticism of Zanu-PF and the government, although in reality, MDC was formed afterwards. It was believed by supporters to have been deliberately targeted by the government for its negative depiction of the Mugabe administrationPolitics of Zimbabwe
Politics of Zimbabwe takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential republic, whereby the President is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government...
. The paper's premises were bombed twice, allegedly by the Zanu-PF militia, although no-one has yet been charged for the incidents.
Bombings
On April 22, 2000 a homemade bomb was thrown at the newspaper's front door from a passing car. On January 28, 2001 a series of bombs exploded in the offices of Daily News, blowing up the printing press. A investigation of the incident was without results. Independent journalists suspected the government or its supporters for the attack.Resentment towards the Daily News
The newspaper itself became the object of criticism from the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans AssociationZimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association is a Zimbabwean organization ostensibly made up of veterans of the 1970s bush war against the government of Ian Smith. In 2005, the government looked into ways to make members of the organization part of the army of Zimbabwe.- History :The...
(ZNLWVA), police and the government on frequent occasions. The ZNLWVA leader Chenjerai Hunzvi
Chenjerai Hunzvi
Chenjerai "Hitler" Hunzvi served as Chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association beginning in 1997.-Early life:...
threatened the newspaper for talking about them in a repeatedly negative way: "I do not want to start a war with the newspaper, but this is my last warning."
On June 9, 2000, a group of war veterans in the town of Kwekwe
Kwekwe
Kwekwe or Kwe Kwe , formerly spelt Que Que, is a city in central Zimbabwe. It is located in the centre of the country —roughly equidistant from Harare to the northeast and Bulawayo to the southwest. Its population stood at 47,607 in 1982, 75,425 in 1992 and the preliminary result of the 2002...
seized copies of the Daily News and burned them. War veterans have also severely beaten Chengetai Zvauya, a Daily News reporter, after threatening to do so.
Governmental action
On November 6, 2001, the state-owned Herald newspaper published an article announcing that the Zimbabwe Investment Center (ZIC), had canceled the investment license of the ANZ, the parent company of the Daily News, for breaking investment laws by inviting new share-holders into the company. The ANZ denies the charges, claiming that there was no hard evidence against them, and that the reports are simply due to a clerical mistake made in 1997 by PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
when registering the company. Muchadeyi Masunda
Muchadeyi Masunda
Muchadeyi Masunda is currently the non-executive mayor of Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe.As chairman of 12 companies and director of two, the 53 year old is also well known in Zimbabwean cricket, golf and tennis...
, chief executive of ANZ claimed that the charges were "unfathomable".
Court case
The newspaper having been banned in September 2003, the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of Zimbabwe
The Supreme Court of Zimbabwe is the highest court of order and the final court of appeal in Zimbabwe.The judiciary is headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who, like the other justices, is appointed by the President on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission. The court consists of...
dropped the accusations under the grounds that there was insufficient evidence to prove the newspaper was being published illegally and ordered that the newspaper be allowed to continue publishing. However, the government later ignored this ruling by Justice Selo Nare, with Information minister Jonathan Moyo
Jonathan Moyo
Jonathan Nathaniel Moyo is a controversial political figure in Zimbabwe. He was Minister of Information from 2000 to 2005 and is currently a Member of Parliament. He is considered the core architect of AIPPA and POSA....
saying that it carried no weight, as the judge had no power to defy the strict Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Zimbabwe)
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act is law in Zimbabwe. It was enacted to oversee how the print and electronic media operated in the country. It was enacted in 2002 by a ZANU-PF dominated parliament....
(AIPPA) media laws set by the government the previous years. The Media and Information Commission (MIC) claimed that the newspaper did not have a license to publish under the new laws. "A cardinal principle of the rule of law is that while the courts have a duty to interpret the law, the executive [government] has a duty to implement the law and this is precisely what the government is going to do in this case," Moyo said.
Return 2010
In May 2010 a governmental media commission granted the right to publish a daily newspaper to four publications, among them the Daily News.External links
- The Daily News homepage (solidarity successor website to the Daily News)