VMCZ STATEMENT ON JOURNALISTS’ ATTACKS

The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) strongly condemns the attack and assault of four journalists by followers of Rev Isaac Tititi Moyo in Kwekwe on Thursday this week.
The four journalists Blessed Mhlanga of News Day, Jackie Gwemende, Dzikamai Mandizvidza (ZBC) and Munyaradzi Musiyiwa of The Herald, who had gone to interview Rev. Moyo.
According to a News Day report, the four wanted to interview Moyo on allegations of harassing neighbors at his farm. After failing to get an interview from Rev. Moyo the journalists started filming outside his complex and it is at this point that they were attacked by Rev. Moyo’s followers.
VMCZ strongly condemns this barbaric action by followers of Rev. Moyo and urges those not happy with actions of the media to follow legal and acceptable channels to seek recourse.
VMCZ is concerned by attacks on journalists especially by church followers and this comes after attacks on a team of journalists were attacked by followers of Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani at a church shrine in Harare.
Police have indicated that they will charge the four journalists with disorderly conduct for taking pictures while Rev. Moyo and his followers would face assault charges.
While the VMCZ commends the poilce for taking action against Rev. Moyo and his followers, the VMCZ is concerned that journalists are being punished for executing their duties.VMCZ views taking photographs by a fully accredited journalist as falling within the normal duties of a journalist and urges the police to reconsider their position and drop charges against the four journalist.
It is also sad that the attacks come barely 48 Hours after President Mugabe’s security personnel ordered journalists who were covering the arrival of President Mugabe at the Harare International Airport to erase pictures of the President’s tripping and falling.
The four journalists ere exercising their constitutional right of gathering information with the aim of informing and educating the public. The attack on these scribes is a direct attack on media freedoms and the right to inform. The VMCZ, strongly believe in an ethical, accountable and professional media and these three important tenets cannot be achieved if media continue to operate under threat and constant fear from members of society who take the law into their hands. The fact that the attacks were led by a man of cloth who should be condemning such behavior is really sad reading.
VMCZ calls upon the police and relevant authorities to investigate the matter without fear or favor and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.