via May 3: Cops to respond at ‘appropriate’ time | The Herald May 6, 2014
Police have said they will comment “at the appropriate time” on their decision to bar journalists from marching in central Harare on World Press Freedom Day on Saturday.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday said, “As of now I am not going to comment on that issue.”
Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has criticised the police for barring journalists from marching saying the decision was “patently unconstitutional”.
Police had sanctioned the march, but their anti-riot colleagues dispersed dozens of journalists who had gathered for the annual commemorations.
In a letter to the event organisers — the Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations — the officer commanding Harare district, Chief Superintendent Newbert Saunyama, said the approval had been withdrawn due to “cropping up of other events of national interest and our police officers will be committed to such events”.
In a statement, Prof Moyo said the police had no justification for their decision.
“This year’s official commemoration was not only in line with Zimbabwe’s obligations as a State party to the United Nations, but also in recognition of and thus in accordance with Zimbabwe’s new Constitution which in Section 61(2), and for the first time in the constitutional history of our young democracy, specifically enshrines freedom of the media by providing that ‘every person is entitled to freedom includes protection of the confidentiality of journalists’ sources of information’.
“Against this background, and although it may please some vested political interests, the 11th hour cancellation of the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day by ZRP, without prior reference to the stakeholders involved, including the ministry and on the basis of opaque reasons, is very disappointing as it is manifestly neither in the public nor national interest not least because it is patently unconstitutional and without any transparent, rational or constructive justification.”
The Zimbabwe Union for Journalists also condemned the ban decision.
COMMENTS
Is the appropriate time not now?
There has not been a police force in this country since Chihuri took over the command. I wonder what the UN sees in this political force to warrant them a peace monitoring role . Just check their comment on the violence in Epworth and elsewhere
Its a paramilitary organization owned by ZANU
They are paranoid!! They are scared of eminent uprising by the suffering Zimbos
Charamba you have nothing to say period don’t lie that you are going to comment at an appropriate time. If you say that the police were attending to more pressing national event just tell us the event do you need an appropriate time for that.You ceased long time ago to be a police force but you are now a security wing of Zanu Pf.look at this Epworth violence you are saying its MDC-T which is responsible. The story from a Zanu Pf publication the herald quoted a Zanu Pf leader in the area saying that MDC-T provoked them by sending three of their members to tuckshops near you wearing their MDC-T T-shirts, so it means that you attacked them because they are wearing opposition T-shirts and MDC-T retaliated. Its not surprising that the three MDC-T people arrested by the police are the three supporters who were attacked by Zanu Pf thugs at the tuckshops.
What police? Which police? To keep peace? What peace? You are joking! There is no such thing
The “appropriate time” will never come because they can not conjure up a plausible lie. Memories are short.