adminMukachana Hanyani
MARCH 27 by-elections that were held in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe and Mount Darwin West constituencies showed the world that Zanu-PF is still in control of the country`s political affairs. Zanu-PF’s two candidates, Cdes Auxillia Mnangagwa and Barnwell Seremwe, romped to victory in Chirumanzu-Zibagwe and Mt Darwin West constituencies respectively, putting to rest claims that Zanu-PF was a spent force.
Some private media which carried live updates on the by-elections that were taking place on that particular day said that in both constituencies, especially in Mt Darwin West, there was voter apathy. The public was told that some voters were not coming to vote in numbers as expected because of voter disgruntlement with the ruling Zanu-PF.
Such perceived voter apathy in Mt Darwin West constituency was on March 28, 2015, clearly reported by the Daily News to the public. Such a report by the Daily News wanted to mislead the people into believing that the Mt Darwin constituency had a voter apathy in sympathy which the sacked former VP Dr Joice Mujuru.
The paper wanted to portray a wrong message that Zanu-PF without former VP Mujuru in Mt Darwin is doomed. The story which was carried before elections results were announced was meant to paint a gloomy picture on the whole process.
As such the election results that were announced with Cde Barnwell Seremwe scoring more than 18 000 votes in the constituency was a slap in the face of the Daily News staffers and its sympathisers.
It was clear that the people of Mt Darwin cannot be swayed easily by individuals, but they can do things for their own. It was clear that they were not supporters of individuals, but the revolutionary party, Zanu-PF.
Cde Barnwell’s victory in Mt Darwin West, where the former VP Mujuru used to enjoy support, has shown that the tables have turned against her.
The fact that more than 18 000 people came out to cast their votes in support of the ruling party’s candidate at the time when the private media was preaching about in-fighting within Zanu-PF ranks resulting in voter apathy has shown that the revolutionary party is the one to support.
In actual fact, that result showed the world that no one is bigger than the party despite one’s political position in the country.
It is clear that individuals can only get recognition and support when they cling on to Zanu-PF. Cde Barnwell Seremwe’s victory has sent a clear message to Dr Mujuru and her supporters that the time for her to remain a force within Mt Darwin West was now over.
Some people may want to say that Cde Seremwe failed to get 22 000 which Dr Mujuru managed to score in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections, but those who have followed closely the history of main elections versus those of the by-elections would confirm that the trend of voting in these two elections is different.
In actual fact, by-elections are characterised by lower voter turnout compared to the main elections. The difference between 22 000 and 18 000 is as a result of that.
The doubting Thomases can also check with the Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency where Cde Auxillia Mnangagwa scored about 16 000 against 17 000 which was scored by her husband Cde Emerson Mnangagwa during the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections.
So the Daily News’ story that there was voter apathy in the Mt Darwin West constituency should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. In actual fact, the Daily News should be in a position to define what it calls “voter apathy” so that its readers are well informed on the meaning of the term. From how people voted there, it is difficult to conclude that there was voter apathy.
In a constituency where more than 18 000 people left behind their daily activities to go and cast their votes and only for some newspaper to call that a “voter apathy”, makes people wonder whether the real journalistic ethics of writing to inform real facts still exists at that media house.
While the Zimbabwean constitution allows freedom of expression in the country, media houses should not abuse that clause as to use it to mislead the public.
It is a fact that some people rely more on such newspapers on information happening across the country and beyond, as such media houses should write accurate information for the public.
The Daily News should remember that writing wrong information could make it lose its readership because people do not want to be associated with media houses that always come up with unsubstantiated reports.
The Daily News is quick to forget that its two former journalists Lloyd Mudiwa and Collin Chiwanza brushed with the law in 2002 when they falsely reported that an MDC Karoi woman was beheaded by Zanu-PF supporters in front of her eight children. Brandina Tadyanemhandu, who investigations revealed that she never existed, was said to have been grisly murdered whilst her children were watching.
The story sent chilly shivers in the world yet it was a mere fabrication and the same newspaper’s report on voter apathy sounds more like the 2002 Brandina story which was meant to sell the newspaper.
As such the Daily News should stop manufacturing stories but it should rely on facts on the ground so that people put faith on its stories.
Online Reporter