Chronicle Editor
Wallace Ruzvidzo, Harare Bureau
The media is a vital cog in ensuring voters in the upcoming harmonised elections are well informed and educated before casting their votes, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.
Speaking at the ministry’s information officers workshop in Harare, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the media had an integral role to play before, during and after the polls.
Zimbabwe will, on August 23 hold its harmonised elections.
She said it was incumbent upon the media to not relent in discharging its duties, while also keeping the nation abreast on milestones reached by the Second Republic.
“Information officers and community radio stations in particular and the media in general play a critical role in information dissemination.
“As provincial and district information officers you are a key cog in shaping the narrative and mobilising the hearts and minds of the citizenry towards the common good and respect for the National Interest.
“We see the media playing a significant role in communicating the milestones of the Second Republic,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa implored the ministry’s information officers to work hand in hand with the country’s media industry.
She said a symbiotic relationship between the two would be developmental.
“As information officers, in an election season, your duty to inform and educate has been heightened to assume leadership in the amplification of Government programmes and projects.
“Being located in the provinces and districts you have witnessed firsthand major developments of the devolution and decentralisation concept adopted by the Government in ensuring the transformative agenda — the National Development Strategy 1 — does not leave anyone and any place behind,” she said.
“I implore you to complement each other in publicising Government achievements. It is your responsibility as information officers to facilitate coverage of the impending elections and that journalists are protected from political violence.”
Minister Mutsvangwa applauded the Zimbabwe Media Commission for educating journalists on election reportage saying this would go a long way in ensuring peaceful coverage.
“Let me also take this opportunity to thank the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) for producing a manual on Elections Reporting and Peace Journalism.
“The manual goes a long way in ensuring peaceful coverage of the impending general elections and it also capacitates media practitioners with the necessary knowledge and skills in elections reporting thus, complementing the training we are getting today.
“It is the Ministry’s hope that the manual will also improve awareness on media practitioners’ safety when covering electoral processes and other related activities,” she said.
Sidumisile Mabena
Online Reporter