Tribune closed by state commission

The Zimbabwean authorities have shut down another newspaper for allegedly not adhering to the country's stringent press laws, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) said on Friday. "The government-appointed Media and Information Commission (MIC) has shut down yet another media house - the Africa Tribune Newspapers (ATN), publishers of The Tribune newspaper - on allegations of breaching Section 67 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). The MIC closed the paper in accordance with Section 71 of the act," said a MISA-Zimbabwe alert. MISA quoted a press statement in which MIC chairperson Tafataona Mahoso said ATN had breached a section of AIPPA which stipulates that the commission must be informed of any "changes in the titles, frequency and ownership of a licensed media house". "As a result, the MIC said the newspaper will be shut down for one year. The publisher of The Tribune, Kindness Paradza, told MISA-Zimbabwe that the MIC's letter to the ATN states that the media house failed to inform the MIC that The Tribune, previously published on Thursdays as The Business Tribune, and on Saturdays as The Weekend Tribune, had been merged into one paper. The Tribune is now published on Fridays only," MISA explained. In a letter to Paradza, the MIC said the paper had changed its title, imprint and ownership without notifying the MIC. It also stated that the paper had employed an unaccredited journalist, Bekithemba Mhlanga, as a reporter. Paradza, a suspended ruling party legislator, told MISA-Zimbabwe that the paper had never employed Mhlanga, who had only contributed to the 'Letters to the editor' section. The Tribune publisher was reportedly suspended by the ruling party after allegedly "disrespecting" ZANU-PF top structures by denouncing AIPPA in his maiden address to parliament. ATN has said it intends to challenge the closure order.