Chronicle EditorBusiness Reporter
The Zimbabwe Institute of Public Relations (ZIPR) has elected a new executive to steer the organisation to new heights after its successful annual general meeting in Harare recently. ZIPR elected Tafadzwa Chigwedere as its new president to take over from Tsungie Manyeza whose term had come to an end. Other members of the council are Nyasha Maravanyika (vice president), Busi Dube (secretary), Joseph Katete (treasurer), Bridgeta Mudota, Russel Chinyani, Busani Bafana, Elliot Muchena (councillors) with Tsungi Manyeza and James Makawa as ex–officio members.
Mr Chigwedere said the new council has a great task ahead to building a strong membership for public relations practitioners in Zimbabwe.
He said the major aim was to professionalise the industry and bring together members who are currently operating independently.
ZIPR seeks to reclaim its space as a regulator for the noble practice of relationship building and reputation management.
“This journey calls for partnership and support from all practicing and aspiring PR personnel,” Mr Chigwedere said.
ZIPR is an ethical body which serves and enhances the interests of the public relations profession in Zimbabwe. More than ever before, the current environment in Zimbabwe highlights the importance and crucial role that public relations plays in both public and private organisations.
The Institute had slowed down during the hyperinflationary period as company operations across Zimbabwe were scaling down in response to the economic challenges the country was facing and profession was losing its place and priority in organisations.
The function was either dissolved or seconded to another department. This in turn influenced the decrease in the prominence of ZIPR.
ZIPR is reputed to be one of the oldest professional associations in Zimbabwe. It dates back as far as 1966 from, when it was the Rhodesia Institute of Public Relations.
Mr Chigwedere said that public relations as an industry in Zimbabwe is facing a lot of challenges.
“Public Relations as a profession is not being given the due recognition it deserves in Zimbabwe and as such some organisations are suffering or collapsing either because the PR function is non existent or is being managed by the wrong people who do not hold proper professional qualifications and skills.
“The image of the public relations profession has often times been tarnished by infiltrators and imposters claiming undeserved PR positions, this consequently results in failure to produce desired results, thus the PR function is wrongly viewed as a resource liability instead of a major contributor,” he said.
The objectives of ZIPR are to bring together those engaged in and/or interested in public relations, for the interchange of ideas and experiences and for mutual consultation and professional advancement, to give a united voice to the practice of PR and enhance its influence, to encourage and foster the observance of high professional standards by members and to prescribe such standards and to develop and foster relations with other professional bodies, authorities and industry associations and to create opportunities for meetings, discussions, conferences on matters of common interest and generally act as clearing house for PR best practice and ideas.
Mr Chigwedere also said that the new council will work to resuscitate some of the competitions which were the flagship of the institute such as the Communicator of the Year (COTY) awards, which were won by prominent leaders in business and politics.
ZIPR also plans to reintroduce national publishing awards, which rewarded the best corporate in-house newsletters. Currently there is one competition which is being run by the institute in partnership with the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS).
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