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State-controlled broadcaster censors president's comments

(MISA/IFEX) - On 20 February 2007, the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) censored President Robert Mugabe's interview on the eve of his 83rd birthday, deleting his comments on the simmering leadership succession crisis in the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF).

According to media reports, President Mugabe accused Vice President Joice Mujuru of plotting with former Zanu PF secretary-general Edgar Tekere and publisher Ibbo Mandaza to undermine him, through Tekere's autobiography, "A Lifetime of Struggle", as part of a strategy to promote her presidential ambitions. He also reportedly spoke in glowing terms of Mujuru's arch-rival in the Zanu-PF succession race, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The comments were, however, conspicuous in their absence when the interview was finally broadcast by ZBC.

The privately owned weekly "Zimbabwe Independent", in its 23 February edition, said George Charamba, the secretary for information and publicity, did not deny that certain sections of the interview had been censored.

Charamba said it was within the ZBC board's rights to "delete, retain, or postpone or archive" any material as that was the "essence of journalism".

"As the president's press secretary, I'm more than satisfied that the drift of the president's message was achieved," said Charamba.