Zimbabwe elections: The press vote
As presidential elections were held, an intense political battle played out across the country’s airwaves.
On July 31, Zimbabweans took part in the first presidential election in five years, and the intense political battle was played out across the country’s airwaves.
The Zimbawean Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), the country’s only domestic TV channel, was accused of backing incumbent President Robert Mugabe throughout the campaign, while dismissing the opposition counter-narrative that the vote was a sham.
Media censorship was a constant feature and so critical coverage came from Zimbabwe’s growing network of citizen journalists, and from across the border via a new TV channel based in South Africa.
Talking us through the story this week is Caesar Zvayi, a senior editor at The Herald; Bright Matonga, the former deputy communication minister; Alex Bell from SW Radio Africa; Wilf Mbanga, the editor of The Zimbawean; and Themba Hove from 1st TV.
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