The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has blasted the legislator for Norton Temba Mliswa for issuing threats against journalists and the media after the expose of his bitter fight with his estranged girlfriend.
In a statement, ZUJ said it strongly condemns threats by Mliswa to use his parliamentary privilege to lobby for tighter controls on journalistic practice.
Speaking at a recent press conference following various social media reports about his private life after alleged fallout with estranged lover Susan Mutami, Mliswa threatened to move a motion in parliament for the amendment of laws to further curtail the operations of the media.
“There must be a price journalists must pay for being unethical. If a man steals cattle is given nine years, there must also be a law that if a journalist is not factual it must be five years,” Mliswa had said.
ZUJ said Mliswa’s remarks do not help the matters as even the current environment for media and journalists is still tough. The union urged the leaders to be supportive of the media and stop using it when it suits them.
