MISA states: environment for investigative journalism in Zimbabwe worrisome

ISA-Zimbabwe Harare Advocacy Committee held a public discussion on 23 November 2009 at the Harare press hub, The Quill Club, aimed at assessing and stimulating investigative journalism in Zimbabwe as inspired by the now deceased Mozambican journalist Carlos Cardoso.

The discussion was also held in commemoration of the investigative experiences and lessons drawn from Cardoso who was shot and killed in the Mozambican capital of Maputo on 22 November 2000 while investigating an alleged US$14 million fraud connected to the privatization of Mozambique's largest bank, Banco Comercial de Moçambique.

The discussion was chaired by Kumbirai Mafunda Chairperson of the Harare Advocacy Committee.  Panelists comprised seasoned award winning Zimbabwean journalists Njabulo Ncube, Brian Hungwe and Dumisani Muleya. Also present during the discussion were former Minister of Information and Publicity, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Deputy Minister of Media, Information and Publicity Jameson Timba, and media and human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa.

Mafunda opened the discussion by stating that the Zimbabwean media landscape was hostile to investigative journalism because of existing stringent media laws adding that the discussion would serve as a steamboat to stimulate debate on the Issue at hand.

Hungwe challenged Zimbabwean journalists to draw inspiration and motivation from the life of Carlos Cardoso. Ncube attributed the harsh political environment prevailing in the country as the main hurdle compromising investigative journalism compounded by lack of adequate resources for the enterprise.   .

Muleya echoed Ncube’s sentiments saying the erosion of the skills base among inexperienced journalists also contributed to the demise of investigative journalism. He said poor remuneration also played a critical role in deterring journalists from going the extra mile in practicing investigative journalism.

“I would not want to take the easy line of bashing and accusing journalists that they have failed in investigative journalism given the fact that major stories have been broken in the post -independence era. Major stories were also broken since 2000 to date.

“However, the environment has also changed drastically post- independence with the promulgation of laws such as the Access to information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Public Order and Security Act (POSA), Interception of Communications Act (ICA) among others, so the environment has also contributed to the challenges facing investigative journalists today,” said Muleya

Asked why present day journalists were not taking the government of the day heads-on in exposing corruption in public office, he reminded those in attendance of one of the golden rules of the profession - there is no story worth dying for.

 “In this environment that we operate in, journalists are intelligent people who conduct a cost benefit analysis and also weigh the consequences on whether to proceed and write a story. For example, upon realizing that you are two days away from Christmas, you first have to ask yourself, do I really need to write this story and spend the rest of the holiday locked up?”, said Muleya.

In his vote of thanks, MISA-Zimbabwe advocacy officer Tabani Moyo said there is a structured gamut of media laws that are aimed at stifling access to information and freedom of expression as guaranteed in section 20 of the Zimbabwean constitution.

“Our thrust therefore is to continue agitating for a situation whereby media freedom is explicitly protected in the constitution.”  Moyo said. He stated that a constitutional provision explicitly guaranteeing media freedom would go a long way towards freeing the media space for investigative journalism.  

Meanwhile, Cardoso held numerous junior positions with government owned media before becoming the editor of AIM, the Mozambican news agency in 1980. He also worked as an advisor to the late Mozambican President Samora Machel. He quit AIM in 1989 to work first as an artist, and later as founder of Mediacoop, an independent press co-operative. In 1997 Cardoso founded the business daily news-sheet Metical which collapsed a year after his death.

- November 26, 2009 by MISA

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Source: www.misa.org (received via email alert on 26.11.2009)