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- Zimbabwe's NewsHawks has reported on three army generals being investigated over corruption involving up to R80 million.
- The military said the news outlet was taking advantage of the investigation to peddle falsehoods.
- NewsHawks failed to publish this week as the government warned the media should "follow" rather than "seek to lead".
The government of Zimbabwe has issued a warning to the media about reporting on matters linked to the security sector with care.
This is in response to an investigative unit's coverage of alleged corruption in the army.
Last week, NewsHawks reported three senior army commanders had been forced out of the Zimbabwe National Army due to corruption linked to a housing scandal.
The publication said the three were linked to a con involving amounts ranging from R8 million to R80 million.
The report was based on the publication's "top Defence House" sources.
The military then issued a statement saying the matter raised by NewsHawks was "undergoing due legal process".
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The army also accused the publication of attempting to "peddle falsehoods about the organisation and individuals taking advantage of the alleged corruption matter currently under investigation".
In an interview with the state-controlled Herald, George Charamba, the deputy chief secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, said, "we continue to urge the media fraternity to treat stories to do with the security structures of this country with utmost care and sensitivity".
Charamba added the media should "follow" rather than "seek to lead such a process".
Chilling effect
NewsHawks failed to publish this week and was allegedly forced to take down follow-up stories after reporters were threatened.
In a statement to its readers, the publication said:
The Southern African Editors Forum (SAEF) issued a statement in support of the decision by NewHawks.
"The SAEF totally agrees and supports measures taken by NewsHawks.
"But the SAEF would like to remind the Zimbabwean government, that as a UN member state, they are bound by treaties that advocate for the safety of journalists and President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa should take the lead in this and order intelligence to stop hounding journalists," it said.
NewsHawks claimed it received similar threats in the past and had to take some of its reporters off the military reporting beat.
The concern over NewsHawks reporters comes after a Malawian journalist, Gregory Gondwe, went into hiding following threats of arrest over his coverage of the country's military.
The publication's managing editor, Dumisani Muleya, told News24 the development was unfortunate for the media in Zimbabwe.
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"It is unfortunate that Zimbabwe does not allow journalists to easily report on the security services sector on issues of democratic accountability and good governance.
"Investigative journalists exposing corruption and in the process holding police, military, and other security forces like the intelligence accountable must be supported, not intimidated," he said.
"By their very nature, security services are shadowy and operate in dark corners, in secrecy without transparency and accountability, and that naturally creates room for corruption.
"So, no single public institution should be above scrutiny, and authorities must encourage local journalists - not intimidate and scare them away - to cover the police, military and the intelligence security services without fear of retaliation or retributive consequences as long that does not compromise them in terms of their constitutional mandates, functionality and state security duties."
According to Reporters Without Borders, the situation in Zimbabwe had improved slightly last year since the late Robert Mugabe's ouster in 2017.
Access to information has increased and self-censorship declined.
While the jailing of journalists has ceased, Zimbabwe was ranked 126 out of 180 in media freedom - a considerable improvement from the 137 rating of 2022.
The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
