By A Correspondent | ZimEye | In a striking statement, George Charamba, the spokesperson for Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has lashed out at media inquiries regarding the President’s unexpected cancellation of his attendance at a United Nations summit. Charamba accused journalists and media outlets of stoking unnecessary tensions between the government and the press.
In his announcement, which he (Charamba) titled : “A TURNING POINT ON GOVERNMENT-MEDIA RELATIONS, “ he said “before launching into a detailed recounting of past media incidents involving the President. He highlighted two specific cases from earlier this year—one involving Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) over Zimbabwe-Zambia relations and another involving the Modus Group. Both, according to Charamba, were handled diplomatically, with apologies made and accepted by President Mnangagwa.
Charamba emphasized the role of media responsibility and accountability, arguing that mistakes in the press should be addressed openly but without fanning tensions. He recounted how the President, during one of the incidents, even made light of a potentially explosive situation with the Modus Group, turning the moment into one of laughter and reconciliation.
“We must resist the temptation to seek to be in the good graces of our Principals through stoking tensions and inventing conspiracies. Mistakes do happen in the media, as in any other sector including Government,” Charamba stated, while also calling on media houses to promptly acknowledge their errors and issue apologies.
He praised both the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) and the Modus Group for their handling of the situations, calling them examples of leadership within the industry. Charamba also reminded the media that reconciliation, rather than conflict, should be the priority in government-media relations, especially in a democratic order.
Charamba’s comments come amid increased scrutiny following President Mnangagwa’s no-show at the UN summit, with questions swirling about the reasons behind his absence. Charamba’s response suggests that he views the media’s line of questioning as an attempt to create friction and draw unnecessary controversy.
The spokesperson concluded his statement by reaffirming the government’s commitment to positive relations with the media but urged both sides to focus on dialogue and mutual understanding rather than fueling tension.
The President’s absence at the high-profile UN event has yet to be formally explained by the government.”