Bulawayo — With only a few months left before Zimbabwe’s national elections, press‑freedom advocates are sounding the alarm over the government’s increasingly stringent reporting conditions. Journalists complain of exorbitant registration fees, physical harassment at ruling‑party rallies and a broader climate of hostility that threatens election coverage.
Historically, Zimbabwe’s elections have sparked heightened attacks on the press, especially targeting reporters from privately owned outlets. In recent months, independent journalists have faced physical assaults by supporters of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU‑PF), who accuse them of unfavorable reporting. While these journalists—ranging from small start‑ups to staff at international news agencies—have been barred from covering ZANU‑PF rallies, their counterparts in state‑controlled media have enjoyed unrestricted access. This disparity has raised concerns among press‑freedom groups about voters’ right to information. In retaliation, state media have been denied entry to opposition Citizens for Coalition for Change (CCC) rallies. The CCC, tipped by pollsters to unseat the ruling party, alleges that state outlets act as ZANU‑PF propaganda and provide biased, hostile coverage. Senior editors at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and the government‑run daily The Herald, however, dismiss these accusations as unfounded.
Journalists have also challenged the requirement to pay what they describe as excessive accreditation fees to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), despite already being accredited by the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC). “It’s understandable to accredit foreign journalists for the elections, but for local journalists already accredited by ZMC, this is an unfair move meant to control and manipulate media practitioners and, ultimately, the information that reaches the public,” said Tawanda Majoni, national coordinator of the Information for Development Trust, a local non‑profit that works with investigative reporters. The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has echoed this criticism, calling dual accreditation “tantamount to double taxation.” “The government must rethink this issue, as it effectively denies ordinary voters access to information,” regional director Tabani Moyo told IPS.
Pressure is mounting on the government to ensure a safe working environment for journalists, yet confidence is waning as the June elections approach. “It seems unlikely that equitable media access will be in place for the election run‑up. We have not seen this in any election period,” said Piers Pigou, senior Southern Africa analyst at the International Crisis Group (ICG). “The broadcast arena presents the biggest challenges—both who gets access and what content is aired. We have not seen true media independence.” Pigou added that independent voices are unlikely to operate effectively, leaving most Zimbabweans without crucial information.
An unfettered press is essential for international observers to assess pre‑election conditions in a country where the government restricts observer movement. “International monitors should evaluate broader conditions, including press access and content. Whether they can do so depends on the teams allowed into the country,” Pigou told IPS.
These concerns follow a Reporters Without Borders report last year that journalist working conditions in Zimbabwe continue to deteriorate, marked by arrests and detentions during the performance of constitutionally protected duties. “We cannot expect stakeholders to deliver meaningful reforms in four months when little has changed in four decades,” Majoni said. “We are heading into the 2023 elections with a muzzled media, which means the elections are already discredited, as free media is a prerequisite for democratic polls.”
UNESCO maintains that protecting journalists is vital for democracy and societal development, yet critics argue Zimbabwe persistently ignores these international standards. “We are in the tenth year of the UN Action Plan on journalist safety. Those who violate journalists’ rights with impunity, especially during elections, must be held accountable,” Moyo told IPS.
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