Josh Nyapimbi on behalf of Nhimbe Trust filed a complaint against The Patriot over an article published by the newspaper on 18th May 2017 headlined, “Wolves in sheepskins”.
Nyapimbi raised the following aspects in the complaint:
- That the article went to great lengths to portray Nhimbe Trust and other cultural organisations as having mutated into “regime change organisations” – thereby possibly setting the arts and cultural sector in collision with government.
- That the Trust would not have complained if the article had been published as an opinion piece instead of its presentation as a factual news story.
- That the article was characterised by factual errors and speculative reporting not as a result of professional mistakes but a reflection of political and ulterior motives aimed at tarnishing reputations
- That The Patriot should have given all the artistic organisations accused of being regime change agents a chance to respond to respond prior to publication
- That every intervention that Nhimbe Trust undertakes is in line with the organisation’s vision and mission which respectively strive for a vibrant and sustainable cultural sector as well as advocating for policies that recognise and strengthen cultural diversity
- That Nhimbe Trust enjoys cordial relations with all three arms of the state and that the organisation’s track record demonstrates its dedication to the fight for a conducive regulatory environment for the arts sector in line with constitutional freedoms and rights
- That artists have often been harassed because of a repressive legislative framework hence the call to The Patriot to join artists in advocating for a democratic regulatory framework.
- Nhimbe Trust therefore is dismissing allegations that the organisation is a regime change outfit and urges stakeholders and the broader industry to disregard The Patriot’s story as false.
Status: Pending
The VMCZ has written to The Patriot on the matter.
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