Itai Mushekwe
17 August 2007
THE embattled Zimbabwe government has once again gobbled scarce foreign currency, thought to be over US$1,5 million, to defend its contentious price blitz and failed economic policies with London-based New African magazine.
President Robert Mugabe's price war has left shops across the country empty and the populace scrounging for basic foodstuffs. This comes hardly two months after government sank over US$1 million on a 70-page sponsored supplement with the same publication to defend its orgy of violence against opposition leaders in March.
The attacks on opposition politicians and civic leaders including MDC faction leader Morgan Tsvangirai, drew loud criticism from the international community.
Deputy Information minister Bright Matonga yesterday said government would continue to spend foreign currency on New African magazine and other magazines publishing in various languages to tell the "true Zimbabwe story" regardless of what it costs.
"The cost of paying New African magazine is tiny compared to the cost and damage done by the Zimbabwe Independent and Standard against government," said Matonga. "We don't care how much it cost us and will continue to do so (paying for sponsored supplements in New African). Put whatever figure you want, but let me inform you that this is a massive project and we're going to publish the Zimbabwe story in all languages necessary because people out there are interested in hearing the truth. So we're not going back because the message is getting louder and clear. It's a serious game and not Zanu PF propaganda like you call it. The price we paid for the supplement was worth paying."
Matonga, who boasted that government has successfully taken over both the print and electronic media in Zimbabwe, said copies of the controversial New African edition had flooded into Zambia and are being distributed for free as Sadc leaders began meeting yesterday for a crucial summit placing Zimbabwe high on the agenda today.
In its latest edition for August/September, New African carries a special 79-page supplement on Zimbabwe attempting to uncover what it calls the "the real story" of Zimbabwe's economy. The massive propaganda campaign includes a nine-page editorial on Mugabe's June 27 speech at Heroes' Acre during the burial of the late Brigadier-General, Paul Gunda in which he accuses business of being "snakes in our midist", and an interview with Reserve Bank governor, Gideon Gono, who vowed that Zimbabwe would not die despite the macro-economic fundamentals haunting the economy.
The so-called Pan-African magazine also contains articles by New African editor, Baffour Ankomah, who now appears to be Mugabe's publicity pointman. Gono, Information permanent secretary George Charamba, and Tafataona Mahoso feature, among others.
Zimbabwe is reeling under massive fuel, food, and power shortages, but government appears determined to spruce up its battered international image which critics argue is the direct product of its appalling human rights record and political repression.
A full-page advert in the New African costs US$11 900 (£5 900), a significant sum for 79 pages given the country's depleted foreign currency reserves.
Ankomah, who jetted into Zimbabwe on July 7 for a three-week tour for the public relations project on state-sponsored airline tickets and hotel accommodation, attempts in his introduction to the supplement to throw an iron curtain around the reality of empty shelves in Zimbabwe's stores. Pictures show up-market shops in suburban Harare whose shelves are filled with items such as jelly and soup.
The supplement also carries articles by columnists normally critical of government's record such as Bulawayo economist Eric Bloch who on this occasion warns that business is committing "hara-kiri" by increasing prices ahead of the commencement of the Social Contract.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai dismisses the price war as a "poor election gimmick".
All the other writers, however, are the regime's usual cheerleaders. Gono backtracks on his initial condemnation of the price crackdown, which he likened to the Iraq war, as first reported by the Independent on July 13, arguing that he was in support of the clampdown on prices but wanted government to take a holistic approach in its implementation.
Charamba, whose ministry is the brains behind the propaganda installment, fires salvos at the West for attempting to foment regime change.
Much of the material here will be familiar to readers of the state media but is unlikely to make an impression on readers abroad who already know the record of the regime on governance and the economy.
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