…as Zimbabwe girds for 2023 harmonised elections
By Noah Marima/Claudette Sunduza
The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) has launched an Elections Reporting and Peace Journalism manual (EPJM), to promote objective reporting as the country heads towards general elections this year.
The report, first of its kind in Zimbabwe and produced in collaboration with UNESCO is expected to improve the quality of election reportage in Zimbabwe and promote peace.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Deputy Minister Kindness Paradza at the launch, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the manual will help the media promote peace and report responsibly during this year’s general election.
The Minister said the media should “provide scrutiny on political parties and their policies, while creating a forum for debate,” said Mutsvangwa.
Minister Mutsvangwa added that the manual will also help media promote democracy, knowledge of rights and civic responsibilities.
The launch comes behind the backdrop of media being accused of fanning violence, promoting hate speech and being a political player in the past elections.
ZMC chairperson, Professor Ruby Magosvongwe, said the manual is a critical intervention aimed at equipping journalists with how-to-skills in election reporting.
“The main objective of coming up with the manual is to equip media practitioners and media houses with the necessary knowledge and skills on how to report elections to assist in the creation of a conducive environment for the holding of free and credible elections,” she said.
Speaking at the same event, UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa Professor Lidia Arthur Britto said the manual comes as a mitigatory measure for past mistakes.
“As a way of mitigating previous mistakes we have decided to work together with the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) to change the old reporting system and equip journalists with professional journalism skills,” Prof Britto said.
Academic and media lecturer Dr. Alexander Rusero, who was part of the team that produced the manual said elections mean a lot to a number of people.
“In Zimbabwe, elections are not only just a contest for power. They are also a sight of struggle. So, each time we venture into elections, Zimbabwe is reduced into a war zone. We are already in the war mode,” Rusero said
Dr Rusero also said the atmosphere required journalists to be sensitive and conscious that there is life after elections as much as there is life before elections.
“In the past, efforts to promote responsible behaviour during election centred only on journalists. All actors must be targeted. There is a need to capacitate firstly the politicians because journalist are just conveyers of information.
“The politician must watch his or her mouth and avoid statements that are inflammatory and or induce excitable tendencies that can promote violence, “Dr Rusero said.
Findings by media watchdog, Media Monitors, in its 2018 report titled: “Reporting on Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections”, showed that the media was partisan in covering the general election.
During the period, government-controlled media outlets carried more reports on the election promises and the election environment by the ruling Zanu Pf officials, while watering down those of the opposition.
Even though 53 political parties out of the contesting 55 were covered in the media, two parties, ZANU PF and MDC-Alliance as well as independent candidates received significantly more coverage than the other parties most of which received marginal coverage.
These three entities accounted for 79percent of the time and space dedicated to political actors.
Zanu PF commanded the lion’s share with 52% of the coverage ahead of MDC Alliance which had 20percent while independent candidates comprised 7percent.
The remaining, 51 parties shared the remaining 21percent. While many of these were clearly “briefcase” outfits that sprung up ahead of the election, there were others that represented significant minorities.
“Such coverage disregards the spirit of the Electoral Act’s stipulation of the equitable allocation of time and space to all political contestants,” the report reads.
