17-24 June 2015
Media Monitoring Report for Zimbabwe
Posted on July 3, 2015
Contents
Compiled by – MIGS Desk Officer for Zimbabwe – Mike Taylor
- People First in spotlight after Zanu PF takes by-elections last week
- Vendors protest eviction
1. People First in spotlight after Zanu PF takes by-elections last week
Independent Media
Nehanda Radio, June 23, 2015. “Mujuru to take on Mugabe in 2018” by Obey Manayiti
- Didymus Mutasa, the former Presidential Affairs Minister has said that former Vice President Joice Mujuru will run against Robert Mugabe in the 2018 elections.
- Mutasa said that Mujuru would lead a group of disgruntled and expelled Zanu PF party members who have come together under the name of People First.
- Mutasa also said that he would release more information about the new party when the party feels it is necessary.
- People First has been mobilizing grassroots support according to Mutasa. The party is also organizing structures to allow it the ability to take on Zanu PF, according to an unnamed source.
- The unnamed source also said that the party was open to all progressive Zimbabweans and not just disaffected former Zanu PF officials.
State-controlled Media
The Herald, June 22, 2015. “People First seeks NGOs support”
- Former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s “putschist cabal” is suspected of seeking out grassroots support through non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
- One NGO has ostensibly been saying that the support it has been giving is coming from People First – a nascent political party linked to disaffected and expelled Zanu PF officials allegedly led by former VP Mujuru.
- Former Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa and former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo are said to be the “kingpins” behind the new party.
- The NGO, Vukuzenzele, which has alleged links to People First, cancelled a widely publicized meeting in Victoria Falls over the weekend. The meeting was called off because of the death of People First member Rugare Gumbo’s son.
- The leader of Vukuzenzele, Makhosini Mkandla denied that his organization was operating on behalf of People First.
2. Vendors protest eviction
Independent Media
Radio Voice of the People, June 24, 2015. “Vendors Bring Business To A Standstill With Eviction Protest” by Professor Matodzi
- Protestors took to the streets of Harare and brought business in the city centre to a halt as they defied police and tried to deliver a petition to legislators.
- Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) deployed about 100 armed officers to stop the protestors from reaching parliament.
- Some protestors from the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) managed to evade police and served their petition to the Deputy Clerk of Parliament.
- NAVUZ lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights obtained an order disallowing ZRP from interfering with the protest. ZRP did not heed that order.
- The petition asked for swift action to stop a planned eviction of vendors by the government. The vendors demanded that the government take notice of the unemployment situation in the country.
State-controlled Media
The Herald, June 24, 2015. “Vendors march to parliament”
- Vendors marched to Parliament to deliver a petition to the Clerk of Parliament asking for concessions over an ultimatum for them to vacate their worksites by June 26.
- Zimbabwe Vendors Union National director Samuel Wadzai said the vendors were not going to leave the central business district of Harare on Friday which is the deadline for vendors to leave their vending sites.
- He asked the government not to chase the vendors away as the informal market is their livelihood. Wadzai also said that vendors would not move until alternative vending sites were constructed.
- Desk officer’s note: State-controlled media did not mention police interference in the delivery of the petition.