Chamisa bars state media from CCC rallies

Chamisa bars state media from CCC rallies

Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa

Leader of MDC splinter group CCC, Nelson Chamisa has announced a ban on all state and pro-Government media at his rallies and gatherings.

The ban, unexpected for a party which describes itself as the democratic alternatives, was announced during a press conference in Harare today.

Chamisa in trying to divert attention from the intraparty violence which happened in Mbizo on Sunday, decided to attack journalists.

“We have enough mechanisms to make sure that we protect citizens who come to our ralies. Once beaten twice shy. That entails that those who are associated with ZANU Pf will not be able to have access to our ralies and that also entails across the spectrum and because we have seen that our own laxicity, our own magnamity and our own generosity is being abused, we will limit access to our venues to those who are genuine journalists and those who are not working for ZANU PF we know you and will not allow you,” said Chamisa.

His statement brings a contradiction in the manner that the politician nicknamed ‘Cobra’ handles his politics.

Through his allies, Media Institute of Southern Africa, Chamisa sought to compel the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and all state media to give him coverage.

That coverage was guaranteed in principle and it would have meant that there would be state media presence at their events, but Chamisa decided to renege on his request.

The reason for the ban of State and pro-Government media could be that the violence which they wanted to attribute to ZANU PF was caught on camera and showed members of his own party fighting.

The fight broke out at the venue, however reports which have been concocted by opposition sympathisers seem to suggest that the scuffle started some 400 metres away.

Other videos doing rounds also show Chamisa visiting his party members who blame MDC-A led by Douglas Mwonzora while others name the one led by Prof Welshman Ncube.

This puts their intended spin of the incident in a rather precarious state.

The violence which come on the back of a USA sanctions reveiw has been speculated to be a sanctions renewal drive by the CCC and its backers who know that sanctions are the only instrument keeping them alive.

The US Embassy and foreign Embassies which have always been heckling Government about denying Chamisa press access are yet to comment at the shocking and bizarre announcement.

Barring journalists from covering public events is suppression of freedom of expression, we hope to see if groups like MISA who write commentaries on every Government decision will do so, now that their favourite Nelson Chamisa has released a load of drivel towards media.