Calls for credible, responsible and responsive media took centre stage during the second day of the Africa Editor’s Forum at the ongoing African Union summit in Kigali, yesterday.

Speaking at the forum, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, implored the media fraternity to ensure balanced reporting of African stories and popularise the continent’s Agenda 2063.

Journalists’ concerns evolved around how to prevent interference in the media.

Speaking about how African journalists can be active agents in the positive transformation of their continent, Dlamini-Zuma recalled the great ideals of PanAfrican journalists during the colonial era, who advocated for African independence and liberalisation in the interest of Africans.

According to Dlamini-Zuma, African media pioneers realised there was a need to raise the voice of their people, which pushed many to create their own newspapers until 1920.

This brought some societal changes through eyewitness reporting, pictorials, legislative updates, and satire cartoons to communicate the agenda of liberation and independence.

Dlamini-Zuma further observed that from the AU perspective, other journalists later failed to emulate the pioneers in the dissemination of constructive stories.

She cited Rwanda in 1994 where Radio Mille Colline and Kangura newspaper fueled hatred, and incited people to perpetuate violence that culminated into genocide.

"To think that journalists were part of genocide is a shame, but it’s a shame on all of us, because as human beings we couldn’t allow us to be part of that Agenda, we should make sure none of us help in that tragedy again,” she said.

"Our part at AU is to work hard to silence the guns, but the journalists, editors have to be our greatest partners. We must continue to reflect on this history, as we shape our continental agenda, including working towards silencing the guns and we must all say, never again.”

While media and mass communication play an important role to inform, educate and to influence public opinion, journalists stand in a very unique position to speak the truth to power which is very essential to democracy, development and to transformation, she noted.

"New technology and social media have democratised and massified access to information and the creation of content, while at the same time present new challenges with fast-travelling, often unverified reporting,” she added.

Dlamini-Zuma called on societies and governments to ensure freedom of expression for media practitioners.

‘‘They should not be punished for telling the truth and our policies and laws must create framework that ensure accountability and responsibility of the media sector,’’ she said.

The AU Commission Chairperson also spoke about the effect of carrying a single source story mainly when talking about issues affecting women which she said has been narrowed down to beauty pageants and or female sex workers, ignoring more important issues.

"The other single story I want to talk about, is the narrative about the importance of overseas development aid and foreign direct investment for African development,” she added.

Media practitioners called for stronger partnership with the AU Commission in their programmes.

Prof. Anastase Shyaka, the CEO of Rwanda Governance Board, said it is imperative for media practitioners to be constant partners in development efforts. Africa is becoming an investment destination it’s therefore very important for countries to invest in the media sector, he said. 

editorial@newtimes.co.rw