I have just been reading an article that is said to have caused the arrest of Zimbabwe Independent editor, our beautiful sister, Faith Zaba.
I read with an open mind, particularly trying to figure what could constitute an insult to authorities, a defamation or threat to national security; and also on the back of my mind knowing that this so-called Muckraker column has been one of the most liberal and delightfully irreverent columns for the past nearly 3 decades.
I was subject of the column’s ridicule and sparring during the years that I was at The Herald as Political, Deputy and Acting Editor.
As far as satire goes – that is, holding society to ridicule – I think it has done well, which even those of us on the other side, were wont to admit.
Satire allows us to laugh at ourselves; at our foibles, because it shows how ridiculous man can be, particularly one with power.
My understanding is that the column has had multiple authors over the years, some bright, pithy and witty; others not so gifted.
Given the shortage of talent, in latter years it could change hands considerably frequent, and those with eagle eye would notice the change from time to time. A good Muckraker is one which had very good English, wit and depth.
I am told the person who started it was a white man with PhD-level intellect.
So, armed with this background, I read the offending article, and I’m sad to report that there is nothing that would warrant the arrest of a whole newspaper editor, even in a country like ours which sometimes make earnest attempts to be democratic.
I have had the feeling that arrests of journalists is bad for Zimbabwe’s image and that of President Mnangagwa as our leader.
It casts us all in bad light and perpetuates a national notoriety whose sell by date was supposed to be some time in November 2017.
Now imagine the Sadc chairman – Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa – being linked to, and assumed to be the cause of the arrest of, a woman journalist and editor – a highly respected and likeable one like Faith Zaba – over a satirical column that may actually have said worse things before! It’s self-defeating and counterproductive.
It is also counterintuitive. Who benefits from this?
Certainly not the President! Certainly not the rule of law! So, who orders these arrests? That’s the million dollar question…
It is also a fact that over the years Zimbabwe Independent stable – AMH- has received more than a fair amount of arrests of its journalists and editors, the previous one being that of Blessed Mhlanga.
May I also say this without fear or favour: the reason why many of us read the article in retrospect is that the paper – for all its massive quality – actually enjoys a miniscule market share – and certainly it wasn’t calling for a national uprising. The last time I checked, per industry research figures, 2 percent of Zimbabweans read the paper each week.
Perhaps there should be a commission of inquiry into the arrests of journalists to get to the bottom of the matter: what if there is another cynical force(s) at play for reasons that are yet to be fully known and understood? TICHAONA ZINDOGA via Facebook
*Tichaona Zindoga is former Herald editor
