Tafataona Mahoso

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =Dr.
name =Tafataona P. Mahoso
honorific-suffix =

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order =Chairman
office =Media and Information Commission
term_start = 2003
term_end = 2008
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president =Robert Mugabe
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birth_date = Birth date and age|1957|01|12|df=yes
birth_place = flagicon|Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia
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nationality = flagicon|ZimbabweZimbabwean
party = ZANU-PF
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Tafataona P. Mahoso dubbed 'the Media Hangman' was the controversial and vitriolic chairman of the Media and Information Commission (MIC), an organ that was created by Jonathan Moyo to control the media in Zimbabwe, pursuant of AIPPA. [ [http://www.zimbabwegazette.com/the-news/general-news/mic-delays-journalists'-accreditation-20080115199.html "MIC Delays Journalists' Accreditation"] , "The Zimbabwe Gazette", January 15, 2008 (accessed 02/07/2008)] He was replaced by Chinondidyachii Mararike in early 2008 when a judge determined that he was unfit to perform his duties as the chairman of MIC because he was 'politically biased.' [ [http://www.afrol.com/articles/27749 "Banned Zim paper invited"] , afrol News, January 18, 2008 (accessed 07/02/2008)]

War with the Media

AIPPA gives him unlimited and boundless and complete powers to oversee the media in Zimbabwe, especially the print media.

The Tribune

He closed down "The Tribune" and its sister newspaper "The Weekend Tribune", on the ground that they did not inform him of a change of ownership. [ [http://www.opendemocracy.org/democracy-africa_democracy/danger_3388.jsp "'The Zimbabwean' in danger"] , "The Zimbabwean", March 24, 2006]

ANZ

He has fought to deny license to ANZ, publishers of the "Daily News". Over the years, he has been dragged to court where he has defended provisions of AIPPA that gives the power to shut down newspapers. [ [http://www.raceandhistory.com/selfnews/viewnews.cgi?newsid1122762178,86777,.shtml "We welcome self-regulation: Mahoso"] , "The Herald", July 30, 2005 (accessed 07/02/2008)]

Columnist

He writes a weekly column in the "Sunday Mail", which he regularly uses to support government policies on one hand and to attack perceived enemies of the state on the other hand. [ [http://www.sundaymail.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=905&cat=10 "African Focus"] , "Sunday Mail"] He has attacked Gideon Gono on the cash shortages in Zimbabwe in the same column. [ [http://www.zimdaily.com/news/118/ARTICLE/2283/2008-01-03.html "Gono Now a Serious National Security Threat - Mahoso"] , ZimDaily, January 3, 2008 (accessed 07/02/2008)]

See also

* Jonathan Moyo
* Tobaiwa Mudede

References