(MISA/IFEX) - The Media and Information Commission (MIC) has summoned journalist Nunurai Jena to appear before it for a hearing over an expired accreditation card allegedly issued to him "in error" by the state-controlled media body.
Ironically, the MIC's notice of intention to cancel the expired accreditation card comes at a time when Jena is suing the Commission for defamation, arising from accusations made by its chairperson, Dr Tafataona Mahoso, against Jena. The matter is pending before the High Court.
In a parallel process, the MIC has since notified Jena of its intention to delete his name from the roll of journalists on the basis that the accreditation card he holds was issued "in error or through fraud".
In a letter dated 14 December 2006, some 17 days before the expiration of the card issued to Jena for the 2006 accreditation year, the MIC summoned him to appear for a hearing at the MIC offices on 1 February 2007.
The 2006 accreditations expired on 31 December 2006 and journalists are currently renewing their annual accreditations for 2007 as required under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
"If you intend to challenge the Commission's intention to make such a deletion, you should indicate this in writing within seven working days, after which you may be deemed to have been deleted," said the MIC in its notice to Jena.
The MIC's machinations are widely viewed as designed to refuse Jena accreditation for the year 2007.
In a story published in the government-controlled weekly "The Sunday Mail" on 2 October 2006, the MIC accused the leadership of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) of peddling anti-government propaganda to "entice" foreign donor agencies to fund its activities. Jena, who is the chairman of ZUJ Chinhoyi branch, was singled out as one of the top ZUJ officials spreading "malicious reports" about alleged human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
Jena's lawyers have since responded to the MIC, notifying the Commission that they will still challenge the deletion of his name from the "roll of journalists".
"We hereby notify you of our client's intention to challenge the Commission's intention to make such a deletion, or any order adverse to his interests, as it appears our client seems to be a victim of circumstances who is being persecuted for having challenged and sued your chairman for defamatory writings, which matter is pending before the High Court," said Media Lawyers Network member Tapiwa Muchineripi, who is representing the Chinhoyi-based freelance journalist.
Having duly accredited Jena for the 2006 calendar year, the MIC says it now wants to delete his name because, among other issues: he retrospectively failed to renew his accreditation by 31 December 2005, because he submitted his form 18 days after the expiry date; he failed to include required photographs in his applications dated 10 December 2004 and 18 January 2006; and the application form was neither signed nor stamped by the mass media service which he listed as either his employer or buyer of his stories.
The MIC says the accreditation card in dispute was issued on the basis of a recommendation, but before the application was approved, signed and stamped, and that the officer who made the recommendation has since been dismissed for "various acts of misconduct".
In addition, the MIC is demanding that Jena furnish them with documentation of his journalistic activities, local and foreign buyers of his stories and print-outs of the accounts into which he deposited his earnings from journalistic activities for the years 2005 and 2006.
