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ZBH, Zimpapers must be for all parties — Zec

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PUBLIC broadcasters must allow all candidates from various political parties free access to air their views during the current electoral period in accordance with the law

PUBLIC broadcasters must allow all candidates from various political parties free access to air their views during the current electoral period in accordance with the law, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Justice Rita Makarau has said.

Report by Senior Reporter

Addressing editors and chief executive officers from various media houses in Harare yesterday, Makarau said the election period had commenced with President Robert Mugabe’s proclamation of the poll date last week.

She said the proclamation of July 31 as the election date had the effect of automatically bringing into force part XXIB of the Electoral Act, dealing with the conduct of the media during the electoral period, into operation.

Under the Act, the public broadcaster is obliged to give all political players broadcasting services.

“Public broadcasters must afford all political parties and independent candidates free access to broadcasting services as prescribed in regulations,” Justice Makarau said.

“Section 160H provides that a (public) broadcaster or a (public) print publisher shall not be obliged to publish any advertisement by or on behalf of any political party or candidate contesting an election, but if it does so, then it must extend the same opportunity, on the same terms and conditions, to all parties and candidates contesting the election.”

She added that any journalist who was found to be in violation of this law would be summoned by Zec and asked to defend him/herself.

In his presentation at the special Sadc summit on Zimbabwe on Saturday, South African President Jacob Zuma said media reforms was one of the major bones of contention among the Global Political Agreeement (GPA) parties.

Zuma is the Sadc-appointed mediator to the Zimbabwe political crisis. “It is essential that the playing field in the media should be conducive to free and fair elections.

“Having regard to the limited time available, I would propose the creation of an inter-ministerial committee drawn from the three parties to the GPA and from within Cabinet with sufficient powers to intervene in order to curb hate speech and calls for regime change, from whatever quarter, including external radio stations.

“It would also be the task of such a mechanism to intervene with State media to ensure that they maintain an impartial stance.”

Meanwhile, Zec vice-chairperson Joyce Kazembe said the commission was ready to conduct elections by the end of July.