Information and Publicity minister Monica Mutsvangwa has said it is not government policy to gag or threaten journalists for reporting on the Al Jazeera expose’ on gold smuggling and money laundering.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba last week reacted angrily to local media reporting about the Al Jazeera expose’ and threatened journalists could be jailed for reproducing contents of the documentary.
Charamba made the threats through his pseudonym on micro-blogging Twitter platform, Tinoedza Zvimwe.
On Thursday, Parliamentarians took Mutsvangwa to task to explain why government wanted to gag the media.
“You have licensed a number of television and radio stations, the national Constitution speaks about media freedom but what disturbed me is a statement that was released by George Charamba,” said Midlands Senator Morgen Komichi (MDC-T) during a question and session in Senate on Thursday.
“Charamba intimidated media practitioners and as I am talking, journalists are not comfortable with the statement which says that he does not allow some media organisations to operate in this country.
“Does government agree with that statement that was released by Charamba?”
Mutsvangwa said journalists must be allowed to do their work without harassment.
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“As the minister for the ministry, my job is to ensure that journalists do their job with freedom, reporting factual news and observing the laws of the country,” Mutsvangwa said.
“As a ministry, we oversee the ministry, we are one country and we normally have stakeholders’ meetings with journalists and various media groups.
“I do not believe that in this august Senate, we can talk about what we see on social media like the Twitter and so on.”
Legislators also demanded a ministerial statement from Mutsvangwa over Charamba’s statements.
Lawyer and media representative groups among others have since condemned Charamba for his chilling threats against press freedom.
A four series Al Jazeera documentary is exposing how the country is losing billions of dollars to underworld gold trade and money laundering dealings.
Prominent personalities among them President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ambassador at large, Uebert Mudzanire, alias Uebert Angel have been implicated in the scam. Mudzanire who has since denied the allegations is captured on video claiming that he could use his diplomatic cover to facilitate the dealings and name drops some individuals including the presidency.
