By Martin Muleya
The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) has bemoaned lack of funding to push forward its operations and added that the organization had shelved aside some their projects, a development that has seen the commission’s 2013 strategic plan going unimplemented.
Speaking at a one day consultative meeting that was organized by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) under the theme “Media Law and Policy Regulation in Zimbabwe,” ZMC Commissioner Chris Mhike said the commission was operating under a dire situation as very little money had been disbursed to the commission from the national fiscus.
“The Commission has generally been underfunded over the years, but the situation has particularly become dire this year. Very little money has been disbursed to the commission from the national fiscus, with the result that fewer than ideal meetings had been conducted, and a number of projects and plans listed in our strategic plan going unimplemented,” he said.
Commissioner Mhike also took a swipe on the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) for failing to take the necessary steps in ensuring that the three tier broadcasting service is implemented as enshrined in the constitution.
He noted that the commission was looking forward to see government through BAZ enforcing provisions laid out in the statutes, as this failure would show lack of seriousness on the part of government in access to information and freedom of information.
“The failure by BAZ to implement the 3tier broadcasting system is unfortunate and is a threat to the attainment of optimum levels of access of information, freedom of expression and freedom of the media,” added Mhike.
Turning to the issue of accreditation of journalists in the country, commissioner Mhike noted that they had decentralized their operations by visiting small towns and cities at the beginning of each year unlike in the previous years where accreditation of journalists was only done in Bulawayo, Harare and Mutare.
ZMC has decentralized accreditation by visiting small towns and cities at the beginning of each year.
He also reiterated that it was imperative for genuine freelance journalists to have supporting documentation whenever they come for accreditation.
“There is a provision under Access to Information, Protection and Privacy Act (AIPPA) for freelancers to have supporting documentation that is a reference letter from which he/she writes, if they are genuine freelancers,” he concluded.
The one day workshop was attended by journalists from different media organizations around the country.
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