Africa News Summary : News Headlines : Discussion Forums

Friday, December 21, 2001 - Web posted at 9:54:50 am GMT

Harare - Zimbabwe's parliament made extraordinary arrangements on Wednesday to allow it to push through President Robert Mugabe's list of clampdown bills before it was due to adjourn on Thursday.

Worse by far than any in apartheid South Africa or the former Rhodesia, the Public Order and Security Bill has shocked Mugabe's critics.

If passed, as expected, the bill would effectively make any criticism of Mugabe a crime, and severely handicap opposition forces in the run-up to the presidential election next year.

Unelected MPs appointed by MugabeAlso lined up is the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill, which will force all domestic and foreign journalists to stop work, or face arrest, unless they are granted a licence.

In parliament on Wednesday, Speaker of the House Emmerson Mnangagwa suspended standing orders in order to fast-track the bills and amendments to election laws.

Many ruling Zanu-PF MPs infrequently attend debates, but on Wednesday they packed parliament, shouting "terrorist, terrorist" whenever the opposition Movement for Democratic Change disagreed with them.

On the government's front bench, playing leading roles in a process that will dramatically restrict freedom for millions of Zimbabweans, were four ministers, including Information Minister Jonathan Moyo and Finance Minister Simba Makoni, who are unelected MPs and were appointed by Mugabe to the cabinet after last year's election.

MDC members had no opportunity to protest against the fast-tracking of the bills, which they say will make free and fair elections impossible.

Moyo accused South Africa's 'apartheid press' of demonising MugabeThe new legislation rammed through parliament will not be signed into law until Mugabe returns on Sunday from what is being described as a "begging" trip to Libya.

Mugabe and three cabinet ministers left for Tripoli on Wednesday as fuel supplies became increasingly erratic.

Libya has supplied Zimbabwe with fuel for the past three months, but well-placed sources say Mugabe has been unable to pay for all of it. He is expected to firm up offers already made to President Muammar Gaddafi for land illegally seized from mainly white commercial farmers, and choice tourist resorts.

Most journalists in privately owned newspapers, as well as foreign correspondents, have decided that it would be pointless to apply for a licence from a media commission appointed by Moyo.

Geoff Nyarota, Zimbabwe's most persecuted journalist and editor of the Daily News, described the new media bill as "fascist".

Moyo harangued South African and other foreign media in Harare on Wednesday at a briefing restricted to the state-run media, calling them "criminals". He accused South Africa's "apartheid press" of demonising Mugabe and his controversial land reform programme.

Moyo said the South African media's reporting on Zimbabwe was due to be discussed during talks on Wednesday with a visiting delegation from the ANC.

"If the apartheid press expects us to treat them with kid gloves and allow them to roam around our country, then they don't understand where they are," Moyo said.

•  Big Brother Africa 3: Hazel's got Africa cooking!
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Goat herder gets the hoof

Advertise | About Us | Contact Us | Guestbook | Privacy | Subscribe