Zvayi says he makes no apology for supporting Zanu PF

ZIMBABWEAN journalist, Caesar Zvayi, who has triggered controversy in Botswana after he was hired by the University of Botswana (UB) as a lecturer in the Department of Media studies, has vowed that he has no apology to make for his controversial works at The Herald and will continue supporting the ruling Zanu PF even in the face of vilification.

Zvayi was a former Political Editor with The Herald newspaper.

Last month, he was, along with Sunday Mail Political Editor, Munyaradzi Huni added to the European Union’s (EU) smart sanctions list on Zimbabwe. They are accused of fueling violence through their writings in those two state newspapers.

Zvayi was last month hired by UB to lecture in print journalism but was later placed amongst the 137 people published by the EU that have been targeted for sanctions for their support of President Robert Mugabe's regime.

“I make no apologies for supporting Zanu PF because I subscribe to its Pan African values," Zvayi told The Botswana Gazette yesterday.

“I will never support the (Movement for Democratic Change) MDC as currently constituted because to me it is a counter-revolutionary Trojan horse that is working with outsiders to subvert the logical conclusion of the Zimbabwean revolution,” said Zvayi.

“Being at UB does not mean I stop being a Zimbabwean, supporting Zanu PF has no bearing on my qualifications as a journalist or competence as a media practitioner. The maliciousness and childishness of this campaign (to have him deported) is testimony to the fickleness of the people behind it who apparently believe universities employ people on political grounds. They need only look at the University of Zimbabwe today, whose Chancellor is President Mugabe, but which employs vocal MDC office holders, sympathizers and activists like Dr. Lovemore Madhuku, Dr. John Makumbe, and Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, among others.”

The Botswana Gazette quoted a number of Zimbabweans living in that country who had voiced their concern against Zvayi’s employment at the university.

The newspaper quoted one Oscar Mati who wrote in a letter, “Please use your medium to expose the EU-banned Zanu PF spin-doctor by the name of Caesar Zvayi. It would be a sad day if Botswana, a model of democracy and good governance in our region, allows human rights violators to hide and even seek employment in your country."

Another Zimbabwean Chinono Chinengwe claimed that Zvayi was not a Media Professional.

“We want to appeal to the Botswana government to deport Caesar Zvayi for his contribution to the economic and political chaos in Zimbabwe. The Botswana government was allowing its students to be taught by an unfit person. “He will create chaos in your country. We urge the Botswana government to respect the EU sanctions and to deport this guy immediately,” he wrote to the newspaper.

But Zvayi told the newspaper finding a job outside Zimbabwe did not change his political ideology.

“I still support Zanu PF,” he said.

Zvayi has holds a BSc in Biological Sciences and Geography, as well as a post graduate diploma and masters in journalism from the University of Zimbabwe.

The Head of Media Studies Department, Professor David Kerr said they were happy with Zvayi’s academic background and he was the only candidate that satisfied their criteria during recruitment.

Kerr said there was not much that he could do on the matter because, “we have already hired him and he qualified”. The Professor observed that the UB hires on academic merit as well as experience, but ideology is not considered.



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