MISA Zimbabwe: Police Assaults Journalists in Harare’s CBD (19.10.2019)

 

Police this afternoon, 19 October 2019, assaulted journalist Ruvimbo Muchenje while they were dispersing protesters in the Harare City Centre. Muchenje is a journalist with one of Zimbabwe’s daily newspapers, the NewsDay.

At the time of the assault, Muchenje was suspected of recording skirmishes between the police and protestors when the police officers hit her camera with a baton stick. Muchenje said a female officer directed four male police officers to attack her in the process, before fleeing for dear life. She has since received medical attention for the injuries sustained in the attacks.

MISA Zimbabwe Position 

MISA Zimbabwe is greatly concerned with the seemingly increased number of cases where police officers assault media practitioners conducting their journalistic work. We, therefore, take this opportunity to remind the police that it is not a crime to photograph or film police operations in public areas. Such actions amount to unwarranted and unjustifiable censorship of the media.

MISA Zimbabwe also reminds media practitioners to employ the profession’s safety and security measures while covering hostile situations. Media practitioners are advised to also utilise the MISA JournoSOS App as well as the MISA Panic Button App in the event of any violations. MISA Zimbabwe staff is also on standby to assist media practitioners injured or arrested in the line of duty. The MISA Hotline is 0784 437 338.

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About MISA Zimbabwe

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe was founded in 1996. Its work focuses on promoting, and advocating for, the unhindered enjoyment of freedom of expression, access to information and a free, independent, diverse and pluralistic media.

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Zimbabwe: No remedies found to solve the hyperinflation!

Hyper-inflation has the Republic of Zimbabwe by its neck. Where the salaries cannot keep up with the prices on basic goods. Neither, can the salaries cope with the prices on electricity or fuel. While, the Republic is soon starving, water-crisis hitting major cities, doctor-strikes and teacher-strikes. There isn’t any good news on the horizon.

Unless, your reading the Herald. Than the Finance Minister again promise a better next year and better financial situation. Without any proof or guidance of it. The RTGS Dollar is devalued, the lack of foreign exchange has hit the markets and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe seems to has lost all touch with reality.

The inflation rate has sky-rocketed into the highest heavens and making costs a living hell. There is no lie in that, unless you have eaten funds of Command Agriculture, than your golden and got enough funds to get-by.

Still, the remedies, the policies and the acts of the state hasn’t stagnated the inflation. Neither, has their decisions with in concern of ECOCASH or others. There are nothing proving to be working and the rates are not going down.

The ZANU-PF control of the finances, the economic stimulus or whatever it is doing; its not working at all. There are no proof or no signal. No smoke and no fire, just a waterfall of a massive crack of devalued currencies.

At this very moment. The rates cannot get worse. At this very moment, the hurt, the pain and issues remain. That the public cannot keep up with the rates and prices, the idea of self-sufficient isn’t there.

The government and institutions can lie, like they do in the Herald. But that will not solve anything. The margins of error is already to big and the relief is non-existent, even if the President can be vagabond and globe-trotter, while his state is suffering.

Well, enough of this. Zimbabwe deserves better. The lack of trust and lack of ideals to solve this conundrum is evident. The magicians behind the scenes cannot get rid of this rabbit. Even if they by a hat abroad. They cannot put a scarf on it and patch the hurt. It needs more love than that. Peace.

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