ZOCC condemns banning of media practitioners From Covering First Lady Events

Zimbabwe Online Content Creators has raised an alarm over the continuous harassment of media practitioners by officials from the Office of the First Lady

In fact there have been reports of intimidation towards media practitioners who work for private media by the First Lady officials.

In a statement penned by the ZOCC chairman Toneo Rutsito shows a great number of journalists who have been barred from covering First Lady events

“What is more concerning is that the officials often unleash state security agents to force out online content creators out of any proximity to the First Lady’s functions, “ said Mr Rutsito.

“Featuring prominently in these acts is one official from the Office of the First Lady, Mr John Manzongo, who tasks and help security agents to push out the journalists.

ZOCC also received a report where journalists Moses Matenga and Hillary Maradzika were warned against publishing anything to do with the First Lady at an event in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central province by Manzongo

During the commissioning of the Female Open Prison Clinic in Marondera , the unbridled Manzongo also targeted journalists, Aaron Ufumeli of The Newshawks, Lovejoy Mtongwiza of 263chat, Pelagia Mupurwa of TechMagTV and Julia Ndlela from Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) and barred them from covering the event.

The organization said they have since engaged the Office of the First Lady’s Public Relations Department with their concerns and awaits a formal position regarding the raised concerns ,”

“Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba has been very cooperative on the matter as he agreed that there has to be a mutual working relationship between the fourth estate and government, although he cautioned that the first lady was not a government official,” says Mr Rutsito

He further added that threats by officials in her office to unleash security on accredited journalists covering her events is unconstitutional and should therefore stop while action should also be taken against officials using such tactics divorced from what the Second Republic purports to represent.

Among the many risks journalists face, they are often targets of harassment and aggression.