More Shocking Evidence of Buying of "Independent" Media

I have previously told you about how Gideon Gono corrupted independent media in Zimbabwe by pouring money into their coffers during the tough days of the Zimbabwe dollar collapse. It now emerges that even more dealings are going on and compromising media independence in Zimbabwe.


Harare, Zimbabwe, August 19 2009

We have been brought compelling evidence today that the independent media in Zimbabwe is being paid off to ignore the activities of the parties of Simba Makoni and Arthur Mutambara.

A slush fund has been set up which is being run by three men. One of them runs a well-known chain of butcheries in Zimbabwe and the other owns an engineering company based in Harare which was at one time given the job to repair the water and sewage pipes in Harare (and failed dismally).

The slush fund is being funded in part by money from businesses who have tied in their loyalties to the discredited MDC-T and one of the three men involved in it is actually a well-known fundraiser for the MDC-T and for Morgan Tsvangirai.

You will have noticed that only one independent paper in Zimbabwe at the moment is covering the activities of Mavambo, Simba Makoni's party. Coverage of Arthur Mutambara is being restricted merely to negative and damaging blowing up of his fight with the MPs from his party who have been expelled.

The evidence we have includes proof of payments, notes and messages.

It really makes one think, does it not?

ZANU PF and Mugabe surely also know of this tactic and the prostitution of the media to sectarian interests.

Which raises the question: what moral right have these media houses to demand moral uprightness from politicians when they themselves are neck deep in intellectual sewage?

How can they ever claim a moral high ground when they are prostituting themselves to incompetent people whose popularity is plummeting by the day.

Of course, this must all be understood in the context of an independent media that is beholden for its existence to sections of the Inclusive Government.

They hope that by pandering to these people, working for their interests, they will be allowed to continue operating and perhaps expand their empires.

They want the MDC-T section of the government to fight for them to be licenced, to fight for them to be given to be given more room.

But they are, in the process, destroying all credibility that they ever had.

I had no problems whatsoever publishing the names of the three administrators of the slush fund, but I have been told to hold off while more evidence is gathered with which to deal a devastating blow to these people who think that, by owning and running media, they become untouchable and any criticism of them, no matter how justified, is met with a threat to blackout the complainant from their pages.

You are sure to hear more of this.

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