Vusumuzi Dube
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
THE Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting services, Mr Nick Mangwana has encouraged journalists to put the nation’s interests ahead of their own when it comes to the reportage of the upcoming hearings on Gukurahundi.
Mr Mangwana said this during the Gukurahundi hearings media workshop that is taking in Bulawayo. The hearings are expected to kick off during the first quarter of the year.
In his speech, Mr Mangwana said journalists should be responsible and not inflame tensions in communities.
“We should approach reportage in a way that certain negative sentiments between some communities, if any, are not inflamed. Let’s choose peace ahead of strife. You’re going to hunt in packs, particularly in the first days. You’re going to look for exclusives but before you get that exclusive or publicise it, think reflect and introspect. You should ask yourself what this is going the nation, what is this going to do to the community and what is this going to do to the individual. We only ask for one thing, report responsibly,” he said.
Mr Mangwana said journalists should prioritise the nation’s interests ahead of their own when they write about the hearings.
“We know that as editors, as media houses and as reporters, each one of us has a preferred outcome. That’s understandable but when all has been said and done, what is in the best interest of the country. Is it the continuing simmering resentment between our people or is it the peace that binds us together, cohesion that makes us move forward together and build our country? Yes, we have editorial priorities, we know what they are, but we also have national priorities. Should your editorial priorities trump national priorities? Are we going to aid and abet any residual tensions that are between communities or are we going to aid and abet the solutions of such conflicts and tensions?” he said.
Online Reporter