OPPOSITION Citizens Coalition for Change has described the coverage of this year's elections by State media as unconstitutional, biased, manipulated and unjustifiably skewed in favor of the ruling party Zanu PF.
CCC rubbished claims by the Deputy Minister of Information, Kindness Paradza that the opposition is refusing to take up airtime on State controlled ZBC.
In a statement, CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the little coverage that the opposition party is accorded is biased, derogatory and manipulated in contravention of the Constitution and Electoral Law.
"Coalition for Change notes false claims by the Deputy Information Minister, Kindness Paradza, that the opposition is "refusing to take up airtime on ZBC."
"It is a matter of public record that ZBC refuses to give any independent or fair coverage to the CCC, our Presidential Candidate, Nelson Chamisa, our star rallies, our cluster rallies, our rural penetration drive, our campaign messages or any of our wide-ranging political activities.
"Not only is the state media's coverage unequal, but whatever token coverage is accorded to the opposition is biased, derogatory and manipulated in contravention of the Constitution and Electoral Law," she added.
Section 61 of the Constitution obliges state media to be impartial and to afford a fair opportunity for the presentation of divergent views and dissenting opinions.
"Additionally, the Electoral Law including sections 160G and 160J of the Electoral Act require state media to be fair and grant balanced allocation of time and prominence between Zanu PF and the CCC.
"The CCC is legally entitled equitable treatment including a reasonable opportunity to present our case. It is a matter of public record that the state media in general and ZBC in particular, have failed to comply with the law," the CCC spokesperson added.
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According to Mahere, State media is now being used as an extension of Zanu PF propaganda with over 90% of the content glorifying President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
"Zimbabwe's State media has degenerated into a political reporting arm for Zanu PF as demonstrated by the skewed news and current affairs coverage that is heavily biased in favour of Mr Mnangagwa and Zanu PF in terms of content, support and time allocation (over 90%)."
Mahere also chastised the Permanent Secretary for Information, Nick Mangwana for abdicating his constitutional obligation.
"This unconstitutional conduct cascades as far as the Permanent Secretary for Information who has a constitutional obligation to act in a non-partisan manner as a civil servant.
"Instead, he has demonstrated clear support of Zanu PF in the exercise of his functions. His conduct in this regard offends section 200 of the Constitution and further undermines the ability of state media to act in a non-partisan manner as is required by law," she said.
The CCC, according to the party spokesperson, is available to participate on all fairly-moderated platforms that accord with the Constitutional standard.
"We further challenge the ZBC to afford our Presidential Candidate, Nelson Chamisa, the opportunity, on a live and unfettered platform, to present his message of hope to the nation, in the same way in which it provides live, wall-to-wall coverage of Mr Mnangagwa, Zanu PF activities and Zanu PF rallies."
