Operating under AIPPA requires all journalists to register. I am supposed to apply in January (2005) for a 1-year license and pay about 1000 US dollars. There’s no guarantee that I will get the license. Since I can't afford it I will not register and will go underground without accreditation. This means that I can no longer work freely. It’s very difficult to get official government positions. Independent journalists have been accused of being pro-MDC. Those from ZANU who approach independent journalists are those who feel the party has wronged them. As an independent journalist I couldn’t cover the ZANU PF congress (in December). They will probably do the same thing in the run-up to these elections and we will not be able to cover official voting procedures, electoral processes. The coverage isn’t going to be as good as it should be. Police refuse to give journalists an official statement on issues.127 Section 20 of Zimbabwe’s constitution guarantees the rights of an individual to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.128 The legal obstacles placed on journalists infringe upon these rights. As one newspaper editor observed, “As media organizations we need to provide information to the electorate but empowerment of the electorate is being hampered by lack of information because of the legal obstacles.”129 A ZANU PF supporter in Mutoko confirmed some of the obstacles placed before journalists visiting the rural areas of Zimbabwe: “Journalists who come here have to first talk to the DA (District Administrator), the council, and then the person at the council responsible for information and then if they confirm you are from the state media, you are allowed. They can’t just come and question people.”130 The government has also restricted reporting by the international media and expelled all foreign correspondents from the country. On February 14, 15 and 16, 2005 government intelligence officers raided the offices of three local journalists reporting for the Associated Press, the Times (London) and Bloomberg economic news. On February 14, the journalists were interrogated for two hours and accused of spying and practicing without proper accreditation under AIPPA. The three journalists eventually went into 127 Human Rights Watch interview, Bulawayo, December 13, 2004. 128 Constitution of Zimbabwe, section 20. 129 Human Rights Watch interview with Vincent Kahiya, Editor, Zimbabwe Independent, February 16, 2005. 130 Human Rights Watch interview, Mutoko, February 14, 2005. 28