Zimbabwe delays media law debate

Mugabe blames his problems on biased journalists

Zimbabwe's government has withdrawn plans to push through a tough new media bill as planned on Tuesday.

The parliament adjourned early after an acrimonious debate on a new labour bill to give the government power to de-register trade unions and ban strikes.

The proposed law ran into heavy criticism - including from the government's own benches - and no vote was taken.

The parliamentary legal committee, which is dominated by members of the ruling Zanu-PF party, warned that the labour amendment bill breached constitutional rights to freedom of association.

It is now unclear when the media bill, which is designed to muzzle the independent media and ban foreign journalists from working in the country, will be discussed, but it could be later this week.

Moves to introduce this bill follows President Robert Mugabe's pledge on Monday to hold free and fair elections and to let foreign journalists cover the elections on 9-10 March.

The bill stipulates, among other restrictions, that all local reporters must obtain a one-year licence from a government commission, or face two years in prison.

Stabbed

Mr Mugabe has been trying to control union activity for several years, after the main umbrella union grouping called a series of anti-government strikes.

The Zimbabwe Confederation of Trade Unions (ZCTU) was instrumental in forming the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Let us give Zimbabwe a chance

Bakili Muluzi
Malawi president

MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, the only credible challenger to Mr Mugabe in the election, is a former ZCTU president.

Meanwhile an opposition MP was "battling for his life" in hospital after being abducted and stabbed repeatedly.

David Mpala, who represents Lupane, said from his hospital bed near Victoria Falls that those responsible were militants from Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.

Human rights

The MDC's spokesman, Learnmore Jongwe told BBC News Online that this latest incident of political violence exposed Mr Mugabe as "a hypocrite and a liar".

The United States' top human rights official arrived in Harare on Tuesday to discuss the Zimbabwean crisis, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Zanu-PF has a two-thirds majority in parliament

Assistant US Secretary of State Lorne Craner will hold meetings with government officials, civil and business leaders.

Zimbabwe police on Monday night dispersed about 25 journalists who had gathered outside parliament, intending to hold an overnight vigil in protest at the media bill.

Parliament passed two other controversial bills - the security and electoral bills - last week.

The European Union has threatened to impose sanctions if Zimbabwe refuses to allow foreign observers to monitor the elections in March.

Chance

Mr Mugabe promised free and fair elections shortly before the summit of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in Malawi issued a closing communique calling on Zimbabwe to take a range of actions to reduce political tension.

According to the communique, the Zimbabwean leader has also agreed to investigate political violence in his country.

SADC's demands from Zimbabwe

Respect freedom of speech and association

Allow election monitors

Let journalists cover elections

Investigate political violence

Mr Mugabe has come under a barrage of international criticism over the restrictive laws he has rushed through to ensure his re-election.

Western governments have been pressing SADC to rein in Zimbabwe's leader, but the summit did not discuss the possibility of imposing sanctions against the country.

"Let us give Zimbabwe a chance. President Mugabe has assured us that there will be free and fair elections. So let us wait and see. We hope that what we have been promised will be adhered to," Malawian President Bakili Muluzi, the summit host, told a news conference.

Violence has soared in Zimbabwe over the past week, with government-backed militants forcing 23 white landowners from their homes, in addition to Mr Mpala's stabbing.