The March 26,2022 House of Assembly and local authority elections to fill in the vacant seats left due to either recalls by MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora or deaths, present another opportunity for electoral management body Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to rethink its decision to demand accreditation for local journalists in covering elections.
Local media personnel are registered with the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) for the duration of a working annual calendar to legalise their operations. The question that arises now is: Why would ZEC demand accreditation specifically for the covering of elections?
The fact that these people are already registered to operate and work as well as execute their duties with the same document, then ZEC should have taken cognisance of such legalization and avoid what seems to be double accreditation.
Allowing registered journalists to cover elections without further requirements or other documentation would have been the only way to go. With the current economic challenges obtaining in the country, continuing to milk the ‘fourth estate’ by requiring more funds for registration, will not do any good than harm to the fraternity.
As a result the demand for accreditation ends up being an obstruction to journalists who would intend to cover elections as some may feel it is not necessary to fork out more money when the press card provided for by ZMC could work under such a scenario.
As a result, ZEC as a responsible authority should rethink or even reconsider their decision as regards to registering or demanding journalists to ensure accreditation with them.
Also the media should be allowed freedom to carry out their duties without undue influence, fear or favour and all the responsible authorities should patiently bear with media professionals as the ZMC is yet to give green light for journalists to apply for annual accreditation.
