Zimbabwe was in 2021 ranked number 130 out of 180 countries on the media freedom index, according to the Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
This comes not as a surprise considering that the country continues to wantonly attack, arrest and detain journalists for doing their work.
Since the days when the late former President Robert Mugabe haunted journalists Mark Chavhunduka and Ray Choto for exposing his relationship with his then Secretary Grace Mugabe, the country has never made effort to shrug off the repressive state tag.
The arrest of journalists like Hopewell Chin’ono, Blessed Mhlanga, Charles Dzimwasha and Jeffrey Moyo among others, continue to portray a regime that is scared of the media especially independent press.
Chin’ono whose work has rattled the state as he has on countless times exposed corruption within the state including what is now famed as the COVID-gate.
Chin’ono, a two time CNN Africa reporter of the year was arrested in January 2021 for the third time on trumped up charges of communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the state which were later quashed by the High Court.
This was despite the fact that the same charge against Chin’ono had been outlawed by the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe, raising questions if it was ignorance on the part of the state or it was just state machinations to silence him for exposing corruption.
Other journalists like Blessed Mhlanga and his colleague Chengeto Chidi endured over six months going to court after they were arrested while covering By-elections in Chitungwiza.
Mhlanga was at some point barred from attending a state function at the State House for no apparent reason with the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Zimbabwe) describing the incident as an attack on freedom of expression.
Charles Dzimwasha who reported extensively on corruption and abuse of power by top government officials has also not had it easy in Zimbabwe.
He was arrested countless times, with suspected state security agents visiting his house in the middle of the night to arrest him.
At one time, he was arrested for breaching COVID-19 regulations despite the fact that the country had long relaxed restrictions put in place to combat the spread of the deadly virus.
In October 2021, over five journalists including Leopold Munhende, Thomas Madhuku, Marshall Bwanya, Nyashadzashe Ndoro and Gaddafi Wells among others were rounded up while covering an opposition MDC Alliance demonstration.
They were detained for over five hours before being released without charge following noise from media rights advocacy groups.
Such incidents have painted Zimbabwe among rogue states with the administration that took over from the late President Mugabe proving to be worse than their predecessors.
This is despite the fact that in his early days in power, President Emmerson Mnangagwa presented himself as a reformist keen to break from the old regime’s politics of vindictiveness.
With the country set to hold elections mid next year, the state is determined to ensure that critical voices are silenced.
The arrest and detention without trial of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) member Job Sikhala cast doubts on the Harare regime’s commitment to free expression.
This combined with endless threats on journalists, makes the impending elections a joke.
Untill the media is free to do its work without hindrance, its going to be hard for independent journalists to operate in Zimbabwe.
Arnold Muyambo is an independent journalist and political commentator based in Harare, Zimbabwe. He can be contacted on [email protected]