By Tendai Matunhu
Contrary to the human rights gospel they always preach to others, the MDC continues to violate the rights of journalists doing their work.
During that party’s weekend campaign rally in Glenview South where their leader Nelson Chamisa was addressing, a prominent journalist, Ari Goldstein was harassed and his memory card was confiscated.
Goldstein tweeted saying, “I was harassed by security personnel at a rally in Glen View. They took my 6D and memory card when I was at my car. My crime is why I asked Chamisa hard questions last time. RRB 4076412. GLEN VIEW. Reported the matter at Glen View Police Station. Case Number RRB4076412. I am neither a ZANU PF journalist nor MDC one, I am a Zimbabwean. I will keep on my narration that Chamisa does not.”
This is not the first time that journalists were harassed by MDC hooligans during their course of duty. State media journalists have also been harassed.
The violent MDC hoodlums attacked former ZBC reporter, Musorowegomo Mukosi, over the parking space at the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (MRTH), which houses their party headquarters. He was assaulted by the MDC youths for failing to pay for parking fees which they had pegged at RTGS$15 yet Harare city Council’s City Park charges RTGS 5 per hour.
In February, Chamisa’s security team beat up a ZBC senior staffer at a rally at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru. The security team assaulted the journalist and attempted to drag him out of the stadium, accusing ZBC of reporting negatively on their party.
The MDC youths once manhandled ZBC reporters at Mkoba Stadium again last year where they accused the broadcaster of reporting negatively and falsehoods about their party.
In March last year, The Herald Senior Reporter, Zvamaida Murwira and freelance journalist, Anna Chibamu were also harassed at Harvest House while covering a Press conference to confirm Mr Chamisa as the leader of the party.
The Herald photographer, Tawanda Mudimu was also attacked by MDC hoodlums in May last year while covering a demonstration by MDC protestors who were protesting against the imposition of candidates ahead of the harmonised elections.
In 2016, MDC youths also burnt a vehicle belonging to the State broadcaster during protests organised by that party’s youth wing.
It is also understood that in 2013, the late MDC leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s aides manhandled Chronicle senior reporter, Mashudu Netsianda, before confiscating his notebook and deleting recordings from his mobile phone while he was covering a meeting of the party’s former leader and the Bulawayo business community.
Former Zimbabwe Independent reporter, Herbert Moyo was also harshly assaulted by MDC-T security personnel at Harvest House while covering a demonstration by the party’s activists.
