Source: Social media abuse: Rebels told to Stop It! | The Herald July 11, 2016
Bulawayo Bureau—
THE Government may be forced to regulate the social media to curb abuse that resulted in pockets of vandalism recently, a senior Government official has said. Addressing Zanu-PF Provincial Coordinating Committee on Saturday, the Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Cde Thokozile Mathuthu said people who are bent on abusing social media platforms for the purposes of inciting Zimbabweans into revolting against the Government might force Government to regulate social media
“Among us here, there are people who have joined the WhatsApp chat groups to demonise the Zanu-PF party and Government. They post false messages and images to agitate citizens.”
“This was used to coordinate the civil servants’ strike. We are saying stop it! We will be left with no choice, but to regulate the social media platforms as a lot of misinformation is peddled to incite peace loving citizens to go on strike and destroy property,” said Minister Mathuthu.
Addressing the same gathering, Zanu-PF Secretary for External Relations Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the Statutory Instrument No. 64 of 2016 is meant to protect local industries and local jobs.
“We were sent by the President, Cde R. G. Mugabe, to clarify the SI No. 64 of 2016. “The instrument seeks to protect local jobs and industries. If you go and buy groceries for your domestic use for $200 per calendar month in smaller quantities, it’s fine, but if you go and buy bulk goods to fill your supermarket, then you need a special licence to do that,” said Cde Mumbengegwi.
“If you order goods in bulk from outside Zimbabwe, then you are exporting jobs as local industries will be forced to close. No country can survive on imports alone.” Cde Mumbengegwi said the President instructed that all dams should be used for irrigation to ensure food security in the country.
“The President said all dams should be used for irrigation-driven agricultural activities to ensure no one starves. Last week, Harare and Bulawayo witnessed sporadic disturbances by demonstrators that were blockading roads and burning old tyres after being mobilised by shadowy elements through social media.
The incidents appeared coordinated as they began with protests at Beitbridge Border Post over the import restrictions recently introduced by the Government. Authorities have pointed to a third force, with the Cross-Border Traders’ Association distancing itself from the skirmishes that saw vehicles and a zimra warehouse being burnt.
COMMENTS
Who is making ‘second hand tyres’ in the country (No 32 on the list)?
People had to act because government has ignored their plea. We need food, jobs , and a decent living. Social media is used to convey messages. In the 70’s there were revolts without social media . A revolt can still happen without social media. Just make people happy and provide the basic needs and you will not see any demonstrations..
We demand 2.2 million jobs. We demand $15 billion
“The President said all dams should be used for irrigation-driven agricultural activities to ensure no one starves.” Absolutely !! The dams and irrigation schemes have always been there !! Only they have been destroyed, vandalized or stolen and sold, by those who do not have a clue, as a means of survival, since farming is not their first choice career.
“Dams should be used for irrigation driven agricultural activities” says Mugabe. Who is going to irrigate using this water ? My farm irrigated 400 ha of land every year – it produced 4000Mt of Maize, 700 Mt of Soya and 2100 Mt of Wheat… it employed over 300 people, had clinics, schools, ambulance service, lights and running water, bricked houses for all workers. Workshop, 4 x homesteads, storage sheds for 8 tractors, 2 x 20 ton trucks, 2 x combine harvester sheds, grain handling facilities. All but two homesteads remain, the incumbents have knocked down and the bricks, roofing, window frames and door frames have been sent back to the communal areas. The irrigation infrastructure has been stolen, no pump houses exist, transformers are void of oil and components, electricity cables have been stolen as well as switch boxes and MCB’s. This is the typical scenario on most ex irrigated commercial farms. Who is going to replace this infrastructure in order that some one can use the water that sits unutilized since 2001. The dams we built in our district in 1995 amounted to 100,000 mega liters of water, in other words 10,000 ha of irrigation annually – not one hectare is utilized today… not one. It would take billions of dollars to simply rehabilitate the infrastructure on these farms. Bottom line – never mind compensation, even if compensation takes place what will the Government do next… where will they find the billions to get these farms operational and most important WHO will operate them. I don’t see anyone … not one black farmer or politician is capable or has the knowledge to even begin to sort this problem out. That water will remain in those dams, the country will continue to starve, the cash crises will worsen, the IMF is unable to assist, because they will not lend until the country’s arrears are paid off, nor will the IMF re engage until compensation for commercial farms is dealt with and the indigenization legislation is changed.
I think people can only be peace loving when there is food on the table so instead of admitting the cause of social unrest one decides to blame social media. Social media is only helping the community to share its hunger plight. No one wants to take responsibility of the social problems we currently face. Please do not keep preaching sanctions as sanctions are only being felt by the man in the street whilst the big shacks are affording luxurious lives like going abroad for treatment, education, shopping and building mansions. If everyone was being affected by the so called sanctions I can assure you change would have been made long time ago.
Government CANNOT shutdown social media without the local telcom providers, they can only instruct the providers to do so and then it is up to them to comply or tell government to get knotted ! If your internet is cut off or restricted then your provider is cowering to the government and you should definitly change provider. Telone is the first one we should leave, not only is it restricted but also monitored and is part of Zanu income stream.