Melinda Kusemachibi
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had urged political parties and their candidates to support and promote dissemination of accurate information as peddling false information causes unnecessary alarm and despondency among citizens.
Speaking during press conference in Harare on February 18 ZEC Chief Elections Officer Utoile Silaigwana said that stakeholders are urged to seek correct information from the Commission than to spread falsehoods.
“Political parties are urged to promote and support dissemination of accurate information and material on electoral processes. We also urge you to disseminate accurate information as some of our key stakeholders,” said Silaigwana.
He also said the political parties should respect the role of the media.
“We also urge them (political parties) to respect the role of the media, rights of women to communicate and engage freely in any political activities as well as desisting from any conduct that is prohibited in the electoral law including but not limited to use of violence or threats of violence, use of hatred language, intimidation, bribery and damage to property. We need a peaceful election. We need citizens that are responsible so that people can exercise their rights without any fear.
“As a commission we remind political parties and candidates that they are bound by the provision of the code of conduct which they signed and presented to the commission along their nomination papers,” said Silaigwana.
ZEC chairperson Joyce Kazembe said that a media monitoring committee was formed to monitor media coverage ahead of elections.
“ZEC is responsible for monitoring the media during election periods in terms of section 160k of the Electoral Act and Statutory Instrument 33 of 2008. The law compels the commission to attach media reporting to all election reports submitted to parliament.
“The committee comprises again of members of the Zimbabwe Media Commission, Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, and it is chaired by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and l am the chairperson of that particular committee,” said Kazembe.
Zimbabwe is set to go to the by-elections set for March 26 as they seek to fill the vacant seats either due to recalls by MDC-Alliance leader Douglas Mwonzora and or deaths of representatives.
