CHINHOYI- Chinhoyi residents have come in for praise for keeping peace during last
month’s harmonised elections.
Although there was a small petrol bomb incident witnessed in Hunyani and the tearing
off of rivals’ campaign posters, these incidents do not add up to dismiss that Chinhoyi
residents managed to maintain peace during elections.
Speaking during a post-election review meeting held by the Zimbabwe Union of
Journalists (ZUJ) at the Chinhoyi showgrounds, Tapiwa Chikondowa, who is the
Chinhoyi Residents’ Association Secretary General commended Chinhoyi residents for
maintaining peace during the recent elections.
The media was also praised for its peaceful election reporting that was impartial and
effective towards the goal of having harmonised elections for 2023.
During his presentation at the meeting, Chikondowa said: “I would like to thank
journalists for the impartial and effective reporting that was aimed at building our country
and in line with maintaining peace during elections.”
He mentioned how much journalists have grown in their writing skills and have shown
commitment to the country in a way that they were able to encourage peace in their
reporting.
Another presenter, Pastor Tafadzwa Jacob Mafukidze, also applauded Chinhoyi
residents along with its journalists for maintaining peace during elections.
The fair representation of all political parties in the newspapers and also on radio,
specifically Platinum FM, where “every political party was given airplay”, he said.
The media was praised for continuously updating the people on what was happening
during elections and throughout the election period.
“This consistency in reporting and updating also contributed to people having a state of
maintaining peace in the province during elections,” said Pastor Mafukidze.
The journalists themselves thanked the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) and
the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) for ensuring that journalists were easily
identified while they were covering political gatherings. As a results, journalists faced no
trouble with the police, but instead worked hand-in-hand to maintain peace and
harmony during the election period.