Zim broadcasters: we will continue

8:44am Saturday 5th July 2008

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A team of Zimbabwean journalists based in Hertsmere have pledged to continue their fight to send news to people in their homeland after the re- election of Robert Mugabe.

SW Radio Africa has broadcasted from a studio in the borough to Zimbabwe over short-wave transmission and the internet since December 2001.

It is the only such radio station in this country transmitting to the region.

Mr Mugabe, 84, was sworn in as president for a sixth term on Sunday, after months of speculation over the election result, which has sparked violence in the country.

He has in the past made it increasingly difficult for the station to broadcast by jamming radio transmission into major cities, including the capital Harare.

But in an effort to continue offering a full news service to the people of Zimbabwe, in March 2007, the station launched a text messaging news delivery service via the mobile phone network.

The station's founder, Gerry Jackson, was born in Kent but spent most of her life living in Africa.

She said: "We'll just keep on doing what we do best - making sure Zimbabweans have access to news and information, despite Mugabe's determination to block the media."

Ms Jackson believes she would have been able to return to the country if opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai had been elected.

She said: "He appears to be committed to creating a free media environment and when the opposition won the March elections, we had a brief moment of hope that we would be returning home.

"Every Zimbabwean is very disappointed and de-pressed because the situation on the ground is so incredibly serious. At least half of the population faces death by starvation.

"Most people in the country have seen a member of their family tortured or beaten and the whole population is very, very frightened."

Ms Jackson said because of the radio station's busy schedule, its staff were working every day, including weekends and public holidays.

She said: "We are fielding an absolute mass of information that is coming through about the crisis.

"The violence has been very disturbing, but it's all detailed and we know the names of those who are responsible.

"We do our best to make sure this information is spread as widely as possible.

"One day we hope these people will be standing in front of the International Criminal Court.

"What is certain is that this is the end game for Mugabe. The ruling party is imploding and there is much in-fighting. It all depends how long it takes, but we aren't going anywhere and will continue to expose the bad people and make sure Zimbabweans are informed."