Journalism in the age of elections must empower citizens and safeguard the truth

AS Zimbabwe gears up for the upcoming harmonised general elections, the vital role of journalists in this democratic process cannot be overstated. Journalists and media houses have been called upon to uphold the highest ethos of their profession, providing the electorate with unbiased and factual information that allows them to make informed decisions without being swayed by unfair, fake or hateful articles.

Journalists who yesterday attended a workshop on election reporting organised by the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) in Bulawayo, were reminded of their crucial role of informing the nation about political developments and all the players involved.

Mr Godwin Phiri, the Executive Secretary of ZMC, expressed the commission’s concern about certain newspaper articles that propagated false narratives and extreme hatred capable of inciting political turmoil in the country.

One particular article claimed that a militant group from Mozambique had been hired by the ruling Zanu-PF party, prompting swift denials and demands for an apology from the Government. Such misinformation can potentially sow discord among citizens and disrupt the democratic process.

“Let us, as the media, give Zimbabweans a chance to choose their representatives fairly without influencing them through unfair, false, inaccurate and hateful articles,” said Mr Phiri.

To ensure fair and credible elections, the ZMC released a comprehensive manual on elections reporting and peace journalism last year. The manual is meant to equip journalists and media organisations with the necessary knowledge and skills to create a conducive environment for free, fair and credible elections. It covers fundamental electoral processes and the electoral cycle, empowering journalists to understand electoral laws better in order to accurately inform the electorate.

ZMC Chairperson, Professor Ruby Magosvongwe said her hope was that the manual will become an indispensable resource in media training, fostering an appreciation and understanding of the electoral cycle.

“It is the ZMC’s expectation that this manual will be used as a critical resource material in the training of media practitioners towards the appreciation and understanding of the electoral cycle. It is also hoped that the manual will be used by training institutions as part of training modules in elections reporting.

“The manual is also intended to raise awareness on media practitioners’ safety when covering electoral processes and any other related activities,’ said Professor Magosvongwe.

The ZMC has actively engaged senior police commanders on this matter and the fruitful discussions resulted in a consensus that journalists should not be arrested for simply carrying out their mandate.

Mr Phiri said: “Practicing journalism is not a crime in this country and as ZMC, we don’t expect them to be arrested for exercising their duty.”

He however said journalists must not abuse their media credentials to evade arrests for other offences.

Facilitated by veteran media personality Tapfuma Machakaire and Zimbabwe Online Content Creators Association Chairperson Toneo Rutsito, the workshop delved into various critical topics. These included the dynamics of election reporting, journalists’ safety and risk mapping, ethics in covering elections and the art of crafting a well-balanced political story.