Cabinet Ministers from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party, who include Minister of State, Jameson Timba, have rubbished police action this week which has seen law enforcement agents seizing radio receivers across the country.
A police spokeswoman issued a warning saying that it is against the law to possess what she called illegal communication devices and “specially designed radios.” She accused unnamed groups of distributing the devices to spread hate speech and political influence as the country heads towards elections. But Mr. Jameson Timba said the police action does not make sense.
“It is inconceivable that police can purportedly ban radio receivers. The only radios that require licensing before use are two-way radio communicators not receivers. This is paranoia,” he said.
He said he would defy the police order and would actually be distributing the radio receivers all the more:
“I will be distributing free radio receivers to all those who cherish democracy and the free flow of information every Friday until they is change in our beloved country,” he said.
The police warning came after several raids were carried out in February as the police seized hundreds of multi-band radios from an MDC-T MP, and smaller numbers of radios from non-governmental organizations.
Timba was joined by Home Affairs Co-Minister Theresa Makone who also said there was nothing illegal about people owning radio receivers. Mrs. Makone said that unless the devices in question are radio transmitters, not receivers, authorities should return the devices to their owners.
“Political parties and well-wishers are well within their rights to give radios to people who cannot afford them” she was quoted by VOA.
Zimbabwe’s IT and Communications minister, was quoted by SW Radio Africa calling the police action an ‘empty ban’ as he added: “It’s laughable, ridiculous and misconceived. There is no way you can put effective ban on the hearing of people. You cannot put an effective ban on the ability of people to talk.”
Chamisa said it is bizarre that it is being said by an institution that is supposed to observe the rule of law in the country. The minister said there is no government policy or any law that can be used by the police to enforce such a ban.
“It’s a poisonous development that would make the plebiscite environment very un-conducive.” Chamisa added.
27 Replies to “Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Ministers Rubbish Police Seizing of Radios”
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Hats off to Hon Timba for standing his ground and resisting the threats of bullies.I wont be shocked if most of these underpaid, starving,ex border gezi, corrupt and zealotic cops go back to the same people they loot the radios from, via the back door and sell to them the very same stolen radios for 5 dollars.Zanu politics is politics of the stomach, controlling the stomach.No wonder why as you can all see up there some of them are even saying give maize to the people instead of information.This shows they dont have ambition at all and they dont know what they talk about when they preach about empowering the masses.For the past 33 years they have been hand feeding the masses with maize and seed and they cant think of doing anything better for the people besides that.They dont realise that people want to be able to live in an environment that allows them to feed them selves without having to rely on Zanu hand outs.The MDC realises that the first step to empower a man is to inform him, thats is why we chose information over maize .In fact we give them both Knowledge conquers ignorance.
Chando for starters I love the true African dark skinned nubian queens of zimbabwe I do not go for the flat bum yellow skinned, overgrown toothed oriental midgets. Just because you married into the Ming dynasty does not mean you now have an honorary seat in the Communist party retard. You lot should be seriously worried because at this rate it looks like the militia will be confisticating car radios and mobile phones.
Once you start a culture of “confiscating” other people’s things it becomes difficult to stop. Police should worry in the future, then?
A bitter man indeed.at least i have awaken you from your deep slumper Hlafunana.if you are in Harare then stand on your feet and stop being a cry babe.Tsvangirai has done his part and its your turn.together we will win.
Stupid Pseudo Philosopher mntane nja I am in Harare right here. I am standing up fighting against lies and political hypnotisation you drunkard. Do you think everyone is as foolish as you are? Leadership is very important in any strugge. One cannot stand up alone unless one has studied empty and vain philosophies. No doubt Tswangirai leads a voice that is an alternative to that one of Zanupf. If he just gets carried away dont you see that this is confusing you thick headed and dump zibenzi.
Cry the beloved country
Hlafunana my brother,its not Tsvangirai who gives us freedom.stand up and be counted for your rights you fool.Tsvangirai cannot do everything for people who are busy wiping white peoples burkina in England.come home and be counted .stop whining like a little puppy.if you dont want to be part of this fight then shut the fuck up.don display your down syndrome here.o.k.
Chende kupusa and your peasant chinese rice worker give us a break. If china has one radio station that does not mean Zimbabweans want. Mazi hat amuno pfeka kumunda we rice ndo anoku vhiringa.
Thanks Cde Chando. This Timbwa is a real can’t. Where in the world have you heard such a stupid gesture where a party donates radios ahead of food, agricultural inputs, school textbooks and medical drugs? Itai basa mapurisa
Idiot, Mukagay,you always sound jealous of my beautiful Chinese wife and coming to the nyaya, GNU is very clear on pirate radio stations such as studio 7 and many others.Your MDC masters have been telling everyone that they have no control over these pirate radio stations but they see it fit to distribute radio gadgets fitted with devices specifically to receive news from the same pirate stations,whose objective is to sow hatred and animosity among Zimbabweans at a time when everyone is talking of peaceful campaigns,thats the height of stupidity.
I used to play kiya with Timba at Dombotombo primary school in Marondera. A shrewed player he was and brilliant too in class. Tiny fella he was those days and was the favorite to a Mr Diamond, the teacher. Always taking the prices including for hand writting!! Only could beat him in maths. Miss those days man!!
Batai mapurisa,mapuri ngaabatwe size chaiyo !
These stone age cretins following obsolete strategies will achieve absolutely nothing apart from loosing power.
Seizing people’s property under false pretence is a serious crime by ZRP. This is gross violations of human rights and the perpetrators attract international sanctions. @la liga you are right Ian Smith had the same shrewd tactic. However known dictators Adolf Hitler and Gaddafi used the same strategy but failed dismally. People are not morons the way dictators think. Mugabe will go on record as having followed the footsteps of Ian Smith et al. The only plus for Ian Smith was he developed infrastructure whereas Mugabe used and never repaired the infrastructure.
How about the nauseating revolutionary jingles and non stop praise worshipping of the coffin dodger on ZBC and state radio stations. Chando you must be a retard to come out with a load of tosh like this, I just wonder how you got married to that midget buck toothed, cock eyed oriental lass of yours.
Why not give them food instead of these stupid radio gadgets,only fools who do not know the hate language that comes from studio 7 would entertain this rubbish and who does not know that all NGOs in Zimbabwe are an appendage of MDC, they strongly campaigned for MDC in 2008 and this time around they thought they had devised a better outreach method , well done police,confisticate and sell them to scrap metal dealers.
Only deluded and totemless cretins like snaggadog believe that Pol Pot tactics will work in Zimbabwe, in this day and age. Since when have people not been allowed to own radio receivers? Thank you La Liga, you are quite thouhgtful and quite rightly point out that we are not independent if the same Rhodesian tactics are being used to subvert the people! Only that now the oppressors are black and not white!
With Tswangirai appointing Jacob Mudenda as Chairman of a Human Rights Commission you MDC-T supporters do not know what you really want. You cannot sell your cake and still have it. Radios do not vote. Conditions assuring people freedom and democracy must be evident These policemen who take radios just receive orders to do so. Tswangirai has failed to give you freedom and you will never get it from him unless you strongly tell him so. Since you blindly follow him you will continue being arrested, kicked and molested as long as you support a party led by a leader who does not stand for your wishes but just pleases you by daily telling you lies.
Didn’t realize zanu pee ef iri shaken to this level?? This is a desperate move creating more curiosity for folks to join opposition
all police officers who a going round cornfisicating radios imbavha go to their houses u wll find these radios
Radios or no Radios pple can now acces news on internet on their phones. Just go out educate them kuti vanoGugula sei, kana kutowapa tumaNokia per family. Mapurisa dzidzaiwo kuti pamwe pacho u will be chasing wind hazvishande izvo mazuvano, thanx to Chamisa nekuIntroducer IT power.
Ian Smith had the same strategy of banning radios with short wave. It was also illegal to listen to Radio Zimbabwe beaming from Mozambique. Rhodesia introduced FM radio stations Mbare studios and Highlands. The same stations we listen to. We are an extension of Rhodesia we are not yet independent.
What’s wrong with people owning receivers,is it because they belong to other parties other than the corrupt and defunct Zanupf.Zanupf leaders and their supporters are known for their thuggery behaviour and intimidation.Let people decide what they want, don’t try to whip them into submission because its not gonna work this time.The entire world is watching, and its high time these ZRP holligans stop acting like robots.
Who is in charge? Chamisa or police? Timba was my headmaster and I’m happy to read about him….
Chihuri should also detain Greyhu.re and Ollah because they are the Bulawayo and Midlands field officers respectively and are directly responsible for door to door distrubition of the recievers.
Can these ministers who seem to have eyes and ears advise Morgan that Zimbabwe has no pefert peace, returning zimbabweans can be thrown into any situation by Mugabe’s Police Force.
Cde Chihuri pliz may u pliz detain without bail those sellout MDC-T bandits and their paymaster NGOs whose egos are growing bigger by the moment! Confisticate the receivers, burn them, and lock the offenders and we won’t shed the tinest of a tear!