Melinda Kusemachibi
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has called upon state broadcaster the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) to present an implementation plan for fair and balanced coverage of political parties during elections.
The letter written to ZBC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Adelaide Chikunguru on January 21, 2022 requested the broadcaster to furnish them with the plan of action ahead on the by-elections scheduled for March 26 this year.
“As the by-elections proclaimed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa for March 26, 2022 beckon, immense responsibility is thus thrust on the media to comply with the Constitution in terms of its coverage of different political parties and interests. The Zimbabwe Electoral Act also states how the media should conduct itself during elections,” read part of the letter.
MISA also stated that the High Court of Zimbabwe and several election observers should come up with recommendations on how public media should cover elections.
“It is in that regard that the High Court of Zimbabwe and several election observer missions came up with several recommendations on how the public media, ZBC and Zimpapers, should cover the country’s elections following the conclusion of Zimbabwe’s 2018 harmonized elections,” it reads.
The letter indicated that Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) report showed that state owned media outlets were in favour of one political party.
“The SADC report noted that the public broadcaster and state-owned newspapers were in favour of one political party, contrary to the relevant provisions of the Constitution, Electoral Act, and revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, which requires State-owned media to be impartial,” read part of the letter.
MISA also indicated that in 2016, Chief Justice Luke Malaba who was then Deputy Chief Justice extensively quoted the Electoral Act in Majome vs ZBC case during which he said Electoral Act requires a public broadcaster to cover all political parties contesting during elections.
Accreditation of journalists is cumbersome and costly as media personnel have to be accredited with Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) before Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) also accredit them for covering of elections.
MISA Zimbabwe appealed to ZEC that media practitioners applying to be accredited by the commission, only submit details based on ZMC-issued accreditation cards without having to pay an additional accreditation fee.
