Chin'ono Responds To Being Called A Threat To National Security

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has responded to being called a threat to national security by President Mnangagwa’s Director of Information, Dr. Anyway Mutambudzi. Chin’ono was labelled as such after criticising the government’s failure to rehabilitate the Birchenough Bridge.

He accused the government of using trumped-up charges to silence critics and mentioned his past arrests for exposing corruption. Chin’ono stated that the government’s attempt to intimidate critics extends to journalists, opposition politicians, and anyone who exposes their failures. He said:

This is President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Director of Information @DrMutambudzi threatening me as they always do when they lose an argument, or when journalists expose their failures. He calls me a “threat to national security,” that is what they say when they are planning trumped up charges against you to silence you as they have done to me three times before, arresting and jailing me for exposing corruption and their failures. This is not just meant for me, but it is also meant to intimidate all their legitimate critics, journalists who expose their corruption and failures and opposition politicians. He says I am creating a “wedge between citizens on one side and the ruling party, government and the state.” You see, to them the party (ZANUPF) and the State are the same thing. He is not speaking for himself, he got upset with exposing the Birchenough Bridge failure that he revealed what they are planning to do! Everything I said is true, but the truth gets you into trouble in Zimbabwe. Unlike others who have an option, the only thing I know is journalism and making films, and I won’t stop practising my craft within the confines of the law. You know where I live @DrMutambudzi

Birchenough Bridge is an iconic landmark in the Manicaland province of Zimbabwe and serves as an important transportation route. Birchenough Bridge, built in 1934 for approximately £150,000, is known for its scenic beauty and is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors who come to admire the bridge and enjoy the surrounding natural landscapes. 

A few years ago, there were reports that the bridge had worn out. However, in 2018, the former Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Jorum Gumbo, decided against rehabilitating the Birchenough Bridge. He deemed it more cost-effective to build a new bridge with greater capacity for traffic flow. Gumbo stated that repairing the bridge would cost US$35 million, while constructing a new one would cost US$40 million. 

Authorities have since implemented weight restrictions at Birchenough Bridge due to concerns about its structural integrity. The bridge has boom gates at each end to limit the passage of large vehicles to prevent potential collapse. Cracks have been observed at the tarmac entry points, and the bridge shakes when heavy vehicles pass over it.

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