THE Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef) has noted with shock and disbelief the response by government officials to NewsDay’s lead story titled ED turns to parallel structures.
Zinef said the attack on NewsDay is an affront to the practice of journalism, where media freedom and freedom of expression is enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
“The authorities should be mindful of some of the basics tenets of journalism: Paying attention to image and substance courtesy of videos and audios circulated during and after the farm escapades as captured by NewsDay,” Zinef national co-ordinator Njabulo Ncube said.
“Good journalism requires that the media pay attention to the imagery and substance of our political leaders and their respective organisations.
“It is trite to remind authorities that the media plays a critical role in shaping public perception and influencing political discourse.”
Ncube said while President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said he will not go beyond his constitutional limit of 2028, “NewsDay has shown us imagery activities to the contrary, which to all intents and purposes, is good journalism”.
“The media shapes how political leaders are perceived by the public,” he said.
“It is Zinef’s submission that NewsDay has been vigilant in ensuring that a leader’s image does not overshadow his policies or actions.
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“It is Zinef’s considered view that if the authorities are aggrieved with this other side of journalism of paying attention to imagery of our politics, it should seek redress via the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Media Commission.”
The Media Alliance of Zimbabwe felt that the choice of engagement by the bureaucrat was more of the threat to the practice of journalism in the country.
“It is rather unfortunate that of the available platforms to address any grievances with the media, the President’s Office’s engagement of choice seems to be that of threats to the practice of journalism in Zimbabwe,” said Nigel Nyamutumbu, the head of Media Alliance of Zimbabwe, a grouping of media support organisation.
“There are effective mechanisms of addressing complaints against the media based on the codes of ethics and standards that regulate it.
“The helpful route when offended by the media is to exhaust these established regulatory frameworks rather than to issue statements with a chilling effect on media freedom.
“The President’s Office should thus be reminded of their commitment to co-regulation of the media and to the broadly reform process underpinned by the need to create a safe and conducive operating environment for journalists and the media in Zimbabwe.”
In a statement on Wednesday night, a Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications, George Charamba, said the NewsDay story, where Zanu PF affiliates pledged to support plans to extend Mnangagwa’s term of office, was false and malicious.
“The article falsely and maliciously creates the impression that President Mnangagwa is hell-bent on breaching the national Constitution by extending his term limit ‘via the back door’, beyond what is provided for under the country’s supreme law,” Charamba wrote in a statement.
“NewsDay imputes disharmony and disquiet within the ruling Zanu PF and in security structures as a result of these baseless claims. These are very serious allegations designed to create alarm and despondency.
“While the OPC [Office of the President and Cabinet] respects media freedoms enshrined in the Constitution, it must be noted that publishing and circulating falsehoods is not protected by the law and renders offenders liable to legal consequences.”
Zanu PF adopted a resolution at its conference to amend the Constitution to support the agenda to extend Mnangagwa’s term of office.
