Perpetua Murungweni
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe has encouraged journalists to work hand in glove with the communities as they can only be protected once they work harmoniously with the people.
This was said during MISA Zimbabwe Masvingo Chapter’ World Press Freedom (WPFD) Day commemorations held at Bhani business centre near Nemamwa Growth Point where they invited members of the community as well as traditional leaders.
MISA Zimbabwe Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Cris Chinaka urged journalists and communities to work together so that they can protect each other when it comes to the upholding human rights.
“Today I urge you as the community to work together with the media because we can only be valuable to the community as you value us and it is you who can only protect and secure us from persecution and violations of the media freedom,” said Chinaka.
Chinaka also urged the communities not to be enemies with the media but utilize the media to foster development.
“I urge the community and the media to cultivate a good relationship so as to ensure a good working relationship and thus challenge communities to utilize the media for development purposes by giving the media a chance to cover developmental issues that benefit the community without any intimidation or interference,” said Chinaka.
He also said if the community plays its role in fighting for media freedom it allows the media to intermediate between them and government to ensure enjoyment of the human rights.
“If the community plays its role of fighting for media freedom, it allows the media to intermediate between the community and government and ensure that they enjoy human rights without interferences,” said Chinaka.
MISA Zimbabwe Chairperson Golden Maunganidze in his speech read by Masvingo MISA Chairperson Passmore Kuzipa indicated that affordable access to the internet as declared by the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms as a fundamental right is also of paramount importance in ensuring the protection of the media by its communities.
“This necessitates a multi-stakeholder approach involving all the key relevant players to come up with mechanisms that ensure affordable internet access and data prices for all, including those in marginalized rural communities,” said Maunganidze.
He also said a free media helps communities to freely express themselves through access to information from a media that operates freely without any interference.
“The right to freedom of expression should be underpinned by citizens that freely express themselves online and offline and through access to a media that operates professionally and without hindrance,” he said.
