Colleagues, friends...or traitors? The danger grows

As our state spies struggle to stop the stream of anti-Mugabe reports hitting the world media, we look for betrayal from within

On occasion during these past couple of months I've sensed that my friends and colleagues who work for our state-controlled media have been avoiding me. I was offended...until one of them met me recently, and told me why. Now I'm grateful.

The reason is, those very same friends and colleagues have been paid by our insidious secret police, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to betray the names of writers and jouranlists who contribute anti-Mugabe material to the foreign media. None of us have been named yet. But how long can that last?

Zimbabwe journalists, on whatever paper, share a common cause. We all believe in freedom. And being good guys underneath it all, the journalists on the CIO payroll have been doing a splendid job, giving the spies false names, pseudonyms, made-up names, and generally stalling and procrastinating and lying through their teeth.

This, you will not be surprised to learn, has irritated the CIO chaps no end, partly because it made them feel foolish, and partly because they are catching hell from their commanders, who are in turn catching hell from the government.

"They stormed into our office last week," my friend told me. "They threatened to make us pay back toe cash they'd given us in the first place, they threatened to get us fired - and then they threatened to deal with us personally. Frankly I'm scared stiff."

He admitted he had taken several million Zimbabwean dollars from the CIO, promising some names in return. Now he's been told that if he fails to produce the goods, it will be assumed that he himself is one of the "traitors", that he himself is contributing to the foreign media.

"They demanded that each of us name at least one correspondant and the publication he works for by the end of September."

My source within the CIO was happy to confirm what my journalist friend had told me. "Yes, we have been told to get harsh with them. These guys have been spending state money and delivering nothing. We didn't put pressure on them at first. We thought the government would relax with the passing of the Interception of Communications Act. But the Minister of State Security had a go at our Director-General, and he in turn put the pressure on us."

I relish the thought of the Minister, the appalling Didymus Noel Edwin Mutasa bellowing at the CIO Director-General, the equally appalling Happyton Bonyongwe. Those two deserve each other.

But this is surely no laughing matter in the long term. Zimbabwe may have lost the freedom to protest, the freedom to live without fear, the freedom to vote without intimidation, even freedom under the law. But despite everything the country still has - just - a free press. When we go, what else is left?

Comments

[Mwana Wevhu]

It will last so long as the state journalists are also contributing to these sites.

[africa]

for sure Mwana wevhu, the state journalist at Zimpapers are the one stringing for the foreign press.
the greatses of them all is with Bob in New York
you want more names- Limo, Special, Brezh, Inno,

[steve]

be brave brothers and sistes in the struggle for total freedom in Zim.
dont be afraid of the CIO

[RICHAR BUCHANAN]

What happened to Africa's Bread Basket ? Your country is starving, whether you call her Zimbabwem or,,,,

[michael]

In dire situations only the bravest will stand tall. No-one can blame those who are afraid, but we will always honour those who have the courage to do what is right no matter the risk. I salute the righteous brothers and sisters of the free press.

[man of peace]

Now we need not to lie to each other Zimbabwe is failed by the ruling state. My advice to them is guys why not surrender we are dying cant you see you have failed leave it to others.