Zimbabwe elections: Journalists barred and democracy activists deported

Source: © Wikimedia Wikimedia Zimbabwean authorities on Thursday deported four regional democracy activists on arrival at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport

Zimbabwean authorities on Thursday deported four regional democracy activists on arrival at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and barred hordes of journalists from several international media houses, including at least one Daily Maverick photojournalist, ahead of the country’s general elections slated for Wednesday.

Authorities at Zimbabwe’s major airport turned back Chris Maroleng, who is the executive director of Good Governance Africa in the Southern African Development Community region, and three of his colleagues from Good Governance Africa while several journalists from foreign media organisations were denied clearance to cover the upcoming elections.

Some Zimbabwean immigration officials who requested not to be named said they received instructions from security officials not to allow Maroleng, a former broadcaster with the South African Broadcasting Corporation, and members of his delegation into the country.

Read the full article by Frank Chikowore at Daily Maverick.