DIGITAL DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA New Media Rise on the Tombstones of

the Old in Zimbabwe

Approach

A Brief Introduction to Zimbabwe: Local vs. Global Dynamics

Status of the Old Media and Civil Society in Zimbabwe

The Rise of the New Media: Structure, Policies, Discourses, Uses, Challenges and Prospects

Conclusion

Zimbabwe: Local vs. Global Dynamics

Why History?

NATIONALISM, DECO THROUGH ARMED STRUGGLE

1980:

1980-87:

1990-1999: BRETTONHOODS FREE MARKET REFORMS, CIVIL UNREST, REPRESSION

2000- PRESENT: LAND REFORM & NEGATION OF MARKET REFORMS

What is the State of Old Media in Zimbabwe? Fossilised Dictatorial Tendencies: Media &Governance

DICTACTORSHIP A PRO OF 3 LEGACIES

o Political culture of violence: Mate

atrocities, present crisis

o Restrictive media laws:inheritence & continuation, FoI, FoP, FoE

o Lib Movements: just, egal vs. contra 2 demo, top-down structures, orders, intolerance of dissent,

o Crystallisation: attitudes now inform policies for public instits, i.e. public media

o Overall effect: Conceal dissent, realities of oppress & exploitation, stall debate, promote homogeneity etc

‘With the exception of a small elite…people all over the world resent loss of control over their lives, over their…environment…jobs…economies,

governments, countries’ (Castells, M, 1998:69)

Resentment leads to resistance- xenophobia, extremism, nationalism, (resistance identities) etc

Nowhere, is the anti-globalisation nationalism spirit more vivid in new media policy than in Zim (also hegemonic purposes for political elite)

What Exactly are we talking about here? EXAMPLE

o Promote a national culture, identity, consciousness, & point of view (news!)

o 75% local content after 2 years of broadcasting

o No foreign ownership or funding (same for CSO)

o Only Zim citizens resident

o State Monopoly continues- programmes trying to reinforce idea of national identity, culture, etc

o No foreign global media ‘mercenary’ - CNN, BBC, etc

o Print media WORST!

From Policies of Restriction to Extra Judicial Tactics What other methods are used to deal with Media ?

o Beat, torture, arrest, deport or bomb them!

o Satellite media, agents of neocolo, !!!!

EXAMPLES

20 arrested, 3 deported (RwB,2001)

44 arrested, 5 beaten up, 7 deported (2002, AI)

Bombed (DN printing press, Jan’01)

VOP offices (Aug, 2002)

What is total Impact of Elite Jingoism & Hegemony? Obvious!

o Media, Citizens Gagged in the name of nationhood, identity etc

No FoE & FoI: fear, inimical to a participatory democracy, pple must be heard

Exclusion & isolation: new nationalism a class based agenda, legitimising identity

New Avenues and platforms: political expre, protest & resistance, redefinition of national agenda, self determination,

EXAMPLES!

Music

Graffiti

Condoms

Mobile-SMS in2000

Internet

LEFT:

r in Zimbabwe.

The cover of the 15 track ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ album compiled by Zvakwana. The album features music by artists from Zimbabwe like Thomas Mapfumo who are very critical of the Mugabe regime. Bob Marley and other foreign artists are also featured. This approach has made the Zvakwana website one of the most popula

RIGHT:Graffiti is one of the ways by which Zvakwana engages with the public. As a result Zvakwana is reagrded as in existence everywhere-on the Internet and in the streets. Through graffiti Zvakwana invites people to take action and also directly criticises the ZimbabweGoverment.

TOP: Zvakwana’s resistance condoms with the popular Bob Marley ‘Get Up Stand UP’ message. Marley is a freedom legend

What is the Infrastructure for Online public spheres in Zim?

Semi-deregulation vs. Universal Coverage Semi der author environ : 5 major ISPs : few

with Intern gateways, all depend on Tel One national grid, used with conditions

Highest shared/public access: In cities, rural digital divide high though!

500,000 users & 900% growth rate btwn 2000- 2004 (World Stats)

Fixed line providers: 2 (TelOne, Tele Access)

3 Mobile phone companies: 700, 000 users, leapfrogging dream, affordability problems

The Democratic Potential Of the Intern in Zim Emerging Alternative Online Public Spheres

Characteristics & Uses

Counter hegemonic- cyber activism

Radical political content

Democratic participation

Advocacy journalism

Innovative-logos, slogans, etc

Micro/ Institutional

Virtual Communities/Strategic Alliances (Meso, Macro)

.These are arenas where members of subordinated social groups invent and circulate counter discourses to formulate appositional interpretations of their interests and needs (Fraser, 1992)

Radical Online Spheres EXAMPLE

‘We call upon all Zim to take courage and defy

any person, state authority that infringes

your rights’-------------------------------o Radical political content

o Innovative- on & off line

o Political action (civil disobedience)

Online News Public spheresFilling the Information vacuum caused by Closures

Fill the Info- gap, but still elitist

Feed from mainstream media

Evading harsh laws

More Interactive

Run by exiled reporters- stories e-mailed

Virtual Communities and Alliances EXAMPLE

o Advocacy forum, cyber activism

o Information resource centre

o Mobilisation and networking

o Meso & Macro potential

How can the full potential of the Internet be realised? CHALLENGES

o Accessibility

o Availability

o Affordability

De re g ula tion o f Te le c o m m s

M ore Inve stm e nt o n IC Ts & Sc ie ntific Re se a rc h

Inc re a se Inte rne t use b y c o m m unitie s

Rura l e le c trific a tion

Conclude !

Mugabe, R: The Times (UK), 11 December, 2003 at WSIS, Geneva

These last two years have shown us how ICTs…are often deployed as a prelude … to aggressing the sovereignties of poor and small nations. I say this because my country …continues to be a victim of such aggression with both the UK and the United States using ICTs to challenge our sovereignty through hostile and malicious broadcasts calculated to foment instability and destroy the state …

Statement policy cue for Tel One, POTRAZ, Parliament, etc

THANK YOU