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Zimbabwe Will Not Hesitate to Arrest Lying Journalists: Vice President
Zimbabwean Vice President Simon Muzenda has said that the government would not hesitate to arrest journalists writing inaccurate stories about the country to please Western detractors, the official Herald newspaper reported on Friday.
Speaking on Thursday here at a passout parade for 231 police recruits, Muzenda said when they were arrested the journalists should not complain because it was proper for them to display the courage that enables them to write fiction.
He said the country's detractors would never win as the government was aware of the moves to tarnish its image abroad.
"The government is aware of the subtle strategies being perpetuated by unpatriotic citizens and sell-outs to portray Zimbabwe as a society devoid of law and order," he said.
Police have in the past fortnight picked up seven local journalists for questioning in connection with inaccurate or defamatory articles.
Muzenda also declared that the government would never back- track on the land issue, as it was confident of succeeding despite the detractions.
"The government and the people will never backtrack on the comprehensive agrarian reform. The government is therefore determined to deliver on the land issue with unflinching determination," he said.
Muzenda said the recent attack on resettled farmers by 20 white commercial farmers and the subsequent stage-managed looting on Mhangura farms were a clear example of the magnitude of the struggle the government was up against.
He commended the police for the swift action they took in both instances and urged them to continue arresting perpetrators of such strategies.
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