Andy McFarlane

Inventor Trevor Bayliss has hit out at the "horrible cruelty" of Robert Mugabe in banning Zimbabweans from using his wind-up radio.

The man credited with changing the lives of thousands of Africans with the clockwork radio said he only found out about the Zimbabwean President's crackdown on independent media from a friend.

"I was absolutely shocked and appalled," said the 71-year-old from Twickenham.

"When you live in a place like that where you only have one radio, which is owned by the community, it's the only way you can find out what's going on in the world."

Mugabe ordered people to hand in their radios as part of a crackdown on "illegal" foreign news bulletins, which also saw satellite dishes pulled down and computers seized.

It left state-run broadcasters, which toe the government line, as the only source of news for citizens.

"He doesn't want people to be stirred up by hearing the world criticising him but my biggest worry is the health impact," said Mr Bayliss.

He said impoverished citizens coping with hyperinflation would be unable to get essential information about how to stay fit, cope with sickness and manage crops.

He said: "This man lives in an enormous, lavish property with the best cars, servants and guards all around him and he's treating his people like this.

"It's just horrible cruelty."

Mr Bayliss developed the clockwork radio after watching a TV documentary about the spread of aids in Africa.

Radio was the continent's only available means of communication but lack of electricity supply and the high cost of batteries left many without access to vital information.

Backed by the BBC and South African investors, he started producing the low-cost items which have since gone out to hundreds of thousands of African communities.

"Now I'm seeing all the good work destroyed by this man," said Mr Bayliss.

As well as offering essential information, Mr Bayliss said the radio could also offer rare light moments for those living in poverty.

He said: "You see people dancing around the radios. They turn it on and there's rock and roll, or whatever, and have a great time."

Last month, representatives of media groups including the International Federation of Journalists went on a mission to Zimbabwe.

They reported back: "Human rights organisations that continue their civil education on elections programmes by distributing wind-up radios are finding that the authorities have demanded that villagers in Listener's Clubs' hand over their sets or risk being accused of sabotage."

Some people throughout the country were hiding their radio sets at home "at great risk" to carry on receiving news from the outside world, their report said.