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HRT commemorates World Press Freedom Day
Harare Residents
Trust (HRT)
May 04, 2010
Yesterday, the
Harare Residents Trust (HRT) joined the rest of the world in commemorating
World Press Freedom Day. The organisation appreciates the significant
role that the Press plays in carrying its advocacy message across
to residents and its strategic partners. As a Residents' movement
the Press has provided key stakeholders like residents, service
providers and the HRT structures with a viable platform to exchange
valuable information that has helped in building a tripartite relationship.
The HRT has
received substantial publicity. This has assisted the organisation
to keep track of issues raised by citizens, irrespective of whether
or not the issues are being attended. The press has been used as
a tool to scrutinise the activities and programmes of the Council
within Harare Metropolitan Province. It has proven to be a credible
and reliable tool to fight corruption and abuse of authority by
elected officials, officials and service providers.
The media remains
our significant partner to sensitise residents about the operations
of the organisation, raising governance issues around the administration
of the City of Harare and holding elected officials accountable.
Residents from across the political divide expect the media to play
its pivotal role in holding central government accountable through
adherence to its own pronouncements, policies and constitution on
upholding the freedoms of the citizens. More newspapers, radio and
television stations have to be licensed to broaden the sphere of
engagement, in the promotion of liberty, development and prosperity.
But the HRT has been alarmed at the continued harassment of journalists
going about their business of informing, entertaining and educating
the citizenry in Harare. Criminal defamation charges have been laid
against journalists that have reported on the findings of a City
of Harare Investigation into land sales, leases and exchanges. This
is an old-time tactic to intimidate media practitioners from exposing
high-level corruption in public utilities and government. Citizens
have a right to be informed.
The Government
of National Unity (GNU), while acknowledging the importance of the
media in the Global
Political Agreement (GPA), there appears to be a deliberate
attempt to undermine the same media by the three political parties
making the GNU. Under Section 9, which refers to the Media in the
Talking Points agreed by the three parties and chiefs, there are
only two guided questions dealing with the media. The constitution-making
process being spearheaded by the Parliamentary Select Committee
(COPAC) deserves honesty, progressive and fearless reporting by
the media, without the need to impose any controls.
While there
has been some progress in terms of the Press Freedom in Zimbabwe,
pieces of legislation like the Broadcasting
services Act, the Access
to information and Protection of Privacy Act, and the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] which remain
on our statutes should go and be replaced by more responsive legislation
that guarantee the rights of journalists to carry out their responsibilities
without unnecessary restrictions.
For details
and comments please contact the Harare Residents' Trust (HRT)
on +263 912 869 294, +263 733 296 806 or email us on hretrust@yahoo.com/
hretrust79@gmail.com
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