Kudakwashe Vhenge
Freelance journalist Panashe Makufa was allegedly beaten up by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), today around 1700hrs in the Harare suburb of Kuwadzana while undertaking his professional duties.
Makufa briefed media freedom advocacy organization, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe chapter that he was taking pictures of a police operation wherein they were dispersing people in Kuwadzana as part of their enforcement of the national lockdown.
According to MISA’s statement, when the police approached him, Makufa produced his accreditation card and it was disregarded as having expired.
Journalists accreditation cards for 2020 had not yet been issued by the time of lockdown with the government only having gazetted the new registration fees on the 27th of March and journalists are still using 2019 press cards.
The four police officers are alleged to have instructed Makufa to get into their police vehicle where he was assaulted by two officers and forced to delete pictures before being dropped off at Kuwadzana 2 shops.
MISA Zimbabwe has since reiterated its position that police officers should co-operate with journalists and comply with the directives of the Zimbabwe Media Commission and the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services to the effect that 2019 accreditation cards are still valid until the ZMC issues the new 2020 cards.
“By continuously arresting, harassing, assaulting or attacking journalists who are conducting their lawful professional duties, the police are infringing not only on the constitutionally guaranteed right to media freedom but also on citizens’ right to access to information which is very critical at this moment when the country has put in place measures to curb and prevent the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus,” reads the statement.
