External radio service Voice of America, which hosts Studio 7, has lashed out at the government's complaints about 'pirate' radio stations, calling them inaccurate and without truth.

The group's special broadcast, Studio 7, broadcasts from Botswana into Zimbabwe and, like SW Radio Africa, has come under fire for being a 'pirate' station that broadcasts 'hate messages' into the country. The Herald newspaper is now reporting that the government will make a formal complaint to Botswana over its hosting of Studio 7.

The newspaper reported on Wednesday that the complaint was being filed over the hosting of 'pirate' radio stations "beaming hate messages into the country in violation of the Global Political Agreement and threatening the survival of the inclusive Government." The newspaper quotes the Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Joey Bimha saying that the government had already made a formal complaint last year through the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation and "they would soon raise the matter with Gaborone."

"We made a complaint and the Organ said the issues should be addressed bilaterally through the Committee on Defence and Security and the Joint Permanent Commission," he said.

VOA's Director of Africa Broadcasting, Gwen Dillard, told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that the complaints are completely inaccurate and without truth, saying she is 'disappointed' by the government's position. Dillard explained VOA's government-to-government broadcast agreement with Botswana, continuing that there is "nothing illegal or pirate about our operations."

The continued existence of external radio stations, which are the only source of independent and accurate news in Zimbabwe, has been a thorn in ZANU PF's side for many years. It is not surprising then that the broadcasts feature so highly on ZANU PF's list of outstanding issues affecting the Global Political Agreement (GPA), and analysts have argued it is merely a smokescreen to mask the real issues in the country. VOA's Dillard argued that the government is "missing the larger point" by its focus on seeking the closure of external radio stations.

"The government needs to open its tight regulations for independent and free media," Dillard said. "If the government liberalised the media space, there wouldn't be any need for us."

Other analysts quoted by the Herald have condemned Botswana and Madagascar's continued hosting of the radio stations saying this "flew in the face of all SADC principles." Madagascar plays host to Voice of the People (Radio VOP). The newspaper quotes notorious media 'hangman' Jonathan Moyo as saying Botswana was 'spiting' both SADC and the African Union "as guarantors of the GPA."

"This issue should be brought to the notice of SADC because the regional organ should not allow its members to undermine the same GPA it guaranteed," Moyo said.