Zimbabwe: PM Tsvangirai to sue state media

9 Jan 2012

A legal battle looms between prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the state media following the publication of stories alleging that the MDC-T leader bribed private media editors to stop them from writing damaging articles about his party and love affairs.

Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka yesterday [7 January 2012] said a legal battle may soon ensue. "We are looking at the possibility of suing," Tamborinyoka said. "It is obviously utter hogwash to say that we engage in bribing reporters."

This is a highly defamatory story and we are looking at the possibility of suing those who published it." The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and state owned newspapers last week carried stories alleging that Tsvangirai had allegedly bribed editors of local private newspapers to stop the negative portrayal of his party and his "promiscuous" behaviour.

Titled, Tsvangirai bribes journalists, the story alleged that the MDC-T leader allegedly held secret meetings with three editors from the private media and directed them to get editorial instructions from his office.

The story also alleges that Tsvangirai dangled thousands of dollars to editors from the local private media to gag them.

Source: allAfrica.com