President Mugabe’s daughter, Chikore joins league of family members in public office

Daughter of President Robert Mugabe, Bona Chikore has become a member of Zimbabwe board of censors. The state media Wednesday confirmed Chikore the newest family member to assume an official role.State-owned Herald Newspaper reported that the board “faces the colossal task of regulating public entertainment in the digital age”. This is considered an attempt to enforce censorship on public criticism of Mugabe administration.The report also affirmed there is “a critical role in controlling and regulating the media and film industry and examining any article or public entertainment submitted to it”.The first lady, Grace Mugabe heads the ruling ZANU-PF party’s women league, an arrangement aimed at preparing her to succeed 93-year-old president in the event of his death.Grace has three children for the Zimbabwean president and 27-year-old Chikore, who studied in Hong Kong, is the eldest while two others are males still studying.Other family members of Mugabe are his nephews Patrick Zhuwao and Walter Chidhakwa who preside over the youth and mining ministries while many other relatives occupy government positions.Mugabe’s son in-law, Simba holds the chief operating officer’s position of the nation’s national carrier, Air Zimbabwe.Zimbabwe’s censors in 2004 outlawed a play titled “Superpatriot and the Morons”, which narrates the experience of an autocratic ruler who enjoyed the support of a small group and ruthless security forces.The new censor board is led by former culture minister Aeneas Chigwedere, supported by Regis Chikowore, deputy to Mugabe’s spokesman, police spokeswoman Charity Charamba and a traditional chief.“The constitution of Zimbabwe has a provision for freedom of artistic expression,” The Herald quoted home affairs minister Ignatius Chombo as saying in an address to the censors.“In today’s environment where there is heightened scrutiny by members of the public, internet and social media use, you are going to face many challenges.”Zimbabweans have also devised means of passing media and security laws through the use of social media, where they publish their displeasure against Mugabe who refused to relinquish power having ruled for nearly 38 years.