admin
Herald Reporter
Media organisations yesterday came to the defence of journalists working for the public media following opposition politician Mr Nelson Chamisa’s utterances that his party would bar practitioners from covering events by his Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party.
The organisations reprimanded Mr Chamisa for going against the tenets of democracy and trying to polarise the country by selecting media that can cover his party’s activities.
Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (ZINEF) director, Mr Njabulo Ncube, yesterday said he was inundated with calls “from all over the world” to clarify the statements made by Mr Chamisa.
He said the CCC party was setting a dangerous precedent of letting politicians take the responsibility to select journalists that should cover their events.
“All accredited media institutions and journalists should be allowed to cover every rally. If politicians become selective in appropriating a right on who should cover their events, that risks driving the nation into polarisation.
“They (CCC leaders) project themselves as champions of democracy, free expression, access to information and democracy, but in this context, they should issue a statement unequivocally saying that all journalists are free,” said Mr Ncube.
Spokesperson of the Young Journalists Association (YOJA) Mr Leopold Munhende said it seemed worrisome in that there was a lack of understanding of the tenets of democracy that entail respecting the freedom to receive and impart information.
“Freedom to receive and impart information should be respected. We hope to see a change of attitude going forward for the development of our industry and the country,” said Mr Munhende.
Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) director Mr Loughty Dube said journalists should be left to do their work without hindrance.
Online Reporter