ZUJ calls for co-regulation, responsible reporting

THIS year should see redoubled enthusiasm and energy to participate, share ideas, and offer solutions that will improve the welfare of journalists, president of Zimbabwe Union of Journalists George Maponga said recently.

Journalism serves as the people’s eyes, ears, and voice, making it an essential cog in national development, he said, so there is need to work with Government to introduce co-regulation in the sector by enacting the necessary legislative framework to bring in peer review as in other professions.

“Passing of the Media Practitioners Bill should be a top priority in 2024, as it is a key proviso to engendering professionalisation of journalism, clearly defining who a journalist is and making such persons be bound by a code of conduct which undergirds the existence of any profession,” he said.

He also commended the peaceful and tolerant atmosphere that existed during and after the elections.

“As ZUJ we want to commend the climate of peace and tolerance which existed before, during and after the elections and enabled journalists to do their work in a free environment.

“We want to commend law enforcement agencies and the government for ensuring that journalists were able to conduct their work without major hiccups. The rapport built between journalists through their representative bodies and representatives of security organisations and political parties is a harbinger of a new dispensation, characterised by tolerance that prevailed during the polls,” he said.

He further said ZUJ hoped that journalists would continue building on the growing close working relationship between them and the State and consolidate the gains made in the prior year to strengthen the pedestal on which the pillars of media freedom in our country are anchored.

ZUJ hoped that this year would prove to be a period marking new milestones along the road to total media freedom, with journalists reporting responsibly.