Fw: [AfricaWatch] IS MDC USING PIRATE TELEVISION AGAINIST ITS OWN COUNTRY? {What kind of opposition is this? Geez !!!!!}

 

Zimbabwe to protest to South Africa over 'pirate' 1st TV

Robert Mugabe has been busy campaigning around the country

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Zimbabwe - New Era?

Zimbabwe's government says it will protest to South Africa over a "pirate" TV station which is to be based there ahead of this month's elections.

1st TV is due to be launched later on Friday and will be broadcast into Zimbabwe by satellite.

Zimbabwe's state-run TV, which has a domestic monopoly, is widely seen as being biased in favour of President Robert Mugabe.

1st TV's head used to work closely with Mr Mugabe's rival, Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mr Tsvangirai has been prime minister in a coalition government with Mr Mugabe since 2009 but key reforms of sectors such as the media and security forces have not been implemented ahead of the elections.

We will be taking decisions mindful of the need to cripple this pirate television broadcast station"

End Quote George Charamba Senior government official

Regional heavyweight South Africa helped broker the power-sharing deal and is still trying to mediate between the rivals in order to avoid a repeat of the violence which marred the 2008 election.

Mr Tsvangirai pulled out of the second round, accusing pro-Mugabe militias and the security forces of attacking his supporters after he gained most votes in the first round.

On Thursday, Lindiwe Zulu, South African President Jacob Zuma's special adviser on Zimbabwe, told Reuters news agency: "We are concerned because things on the ground are not looking good."

She has previously said the elections should be postponed from 31 July, prompting Mr Mugabe to call her "stupid and idiotic".

Two days of early voting for members of Zimbabwe's security forces on Sunday and Monday saw many logistical problems, such as a lack of ballot papers, raising fears that the election will not go smoothly.

Southern African countries are due to meet to discuss Zimbabwe's elections over the weekend.

Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper suggests that South African parastatal Sentech may be facilitating 1st TV's broadcasts.

"We are not very sure if the South African government is aware of what its parastatal is doing to hurt Zimbabwean interests. We will pursue diplomatic channels,'' it quotes Media, Information and Publicity permanent secretary George Charamba, a close ally of the president, as saying.

"We will be taking decisions mindful of the need to cripple this pirate television broadcast station,'' Mr Charamba said.

Andrew Chadwick, Mr Tsvangirai's former communications director, refused to reveal the sources of 1st TV's funding "because of the vindictive nature of some of the authorities within Zimbabwe".

"The majority of our investors are private," he told the BBC earlier this week.

"We've also received support from groups supporting human rights, freedom and democracy."

He denied that 1st TV would be biased in favour of Mr Tsvangirai, saying it would be impartial, in contrast to the pro-Mugabe ZBC.

 

 

           Thé Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni and Dr. Kiiza Besigye Uganda is in anarchy"
           Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi
"Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni na Dk. Kiiza Besigye Uganda ni katika machafuko"

 

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