FINGERS has been pointed to journalists to say the
truth against corrupt individuals from the suspected groups of people involved
in corruption such as the police, judges, medical staff, teachers and many
others who provides services to the needy people in the country. The Chairman
of the Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT) Dr. Reginald Mengi issued a
plea on Saturday last week in Dar es Salaam and insisted that, it was not fair
to report such groups in general as this indicates that all working in the such
groups are involved in corrupt malpractices. However, Dr. Mengi who is also the
IPP Executive Chairman said that, “instead the suspected people should be named
directly from such groups suspected to be involved in corrupt malpractices” Dr.
Mengi was speaking to editors and journalists from various media organizations
in the country at a luncheon ceremony which he purposely organized to
congratulate two journalists who were recently set free by the Kisutu
Magistrate Court in Dar es Salaam in a case of sedition charged against them
due to lack of sufficient evidence. The journalists are former Tanzania Daima
Managing Editor Absalom Kibanda, and former group editor of the Mwananchi
Communications Ltd, Theophil Makunga who later was promoted to Business
Development Manager by the company. During his speeches, he noted that, the
acquittal of the two by the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court is a ceremonious
occasion of the right to defeat which must be celebrated by all media personnel
in the country. Narrating on how to net corrupt people, Dr. Mengi said journalists
have to do thorough investigations in order to get names of the culprits one by
one from the suspected groups and report their names through mass media without
fear as they shall have gathered enough details to support them. “Mentioning
one group is not fair at all as not all people are corrupt, there are some who
are clean and are not happy to hear their images being tarnished” he said. He stressed the need for journalists to work
tirelessly in order to curb with grand corruption in a particular institution and
reveal them as this is the only way to end such malpractices in the country. Dr. Mengi further told journalists that,
whoever writes issues related with corruption targeting a particular
institution that is fully involved in such malpractice, then such a journalist
does not perform his/her duties as required enough.
However, he insisted that, they
must be courageous while implementing their duties without fear for reporting
an institution it disappoints personal integrity of those who are completely innocent.
Earlier, Dr. Mengi was invited by a member of the Tanzania Editors’ Forum (TEF)
Nevile Meena who thanked him for his dedication and efforts he has been showing
towards mainstreaming media fraternity in the country. He also thanked over 70
editors in both print and electronic media who had been following up the case
of their two fellows in court and showed tolerance and effective solidarity up
to the end. On his part Theophil Makunga thanked Dr. Mengi and his fellow
journalists including editors who showed seriousness to ensure that, his case
comes to end peacefully. He said during the earlier court proceedings, he could
not believe that he was among the suspects until by the time the case was put
into judgment and realized that, it had become to such a serious stage.
However, he revealed on how he was tortured and
denied the right to move outside the country top attend the graduation ceremony
of his daughter who was graduating at Nairobi University in Kenya. On his part,
Absalom Kibanda stressed the need for journalists to continue showing
solidarity once are in trouble as this shows the essence of their emancipation
from being blocked with the freedom of expression.
No comments:
Post a Comment