By: Ernest Jumo
Zimbabwe: (News Of The South) – In a controversial development, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) Correspondent Rueben Barwe is now Secretary for Information and Publicity in the ruling ZANU PF Party.
Reuben Barwe(67) contested and won in ZANU PF Makoni District Coordinating Committee elections held 5th/6th December 2020. Barwe is also presently Chief News Correspondent at the ZBC.
Zimbabwe’s Public Service Act [Chapter 16:04] states that, members of the Civil Service must not be office-bearers of any political party.
The ZBC are the Public Service broadcaster in Zimbabwe. Barwe had long been criticised in his work, for bias towards ZANU PF, along with his employer, the Public Broadcaster, ZBC.
Well known Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, criticised Barwe’s political move as confirmation of the disrespect for journalism ethics at the Public Broadcaster.
“Contrary to ethical journalism, ZBC doesn’t hold its professionals to an ethical standard,” Chinono commented on his Twitter handle @daddyhope.
Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono
Hopewell also interpreted the move as confirmation of Barwe’s long-held secretive affiliation to ZANU PF party while also suggesting for Barwe to resign.
“We have always known that Barwe was an active member of Zanu PF…Now that the worst kept secret is official, will he do the right thing and resign?” he said.
However, Barwe had denied September 2017 that State media journalists were lacking in political neutrality as they only granted positive coverage to ZANU PF, the ruling party.
“We are not on the strings of the establishment but we also see what is happening,” he said as he defended the editorial stance often taken by the country’s sole television broadcaster, at a panel discussion of the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) annual stakeholders conference at a Harare hotel.
Meanwhile, Chin’ono also stands accused by critics of the same journalistic flaws, only, in a different sphere. Critics accuse Chin’ono of patronising the MDC Alliance in his work.
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