Local leaders urged to partner with media

Local leaders and media practitioners have been urged to partner in order to achieve holistic national development. The call was made Friday during a campaign by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) aimed at building a working relationship between the media and local government authorities in Rubavu District, Western Province. “Local leaders should help journalists to access information, and journalists too should do their part by reporting ethically,” said Prof Anastase Shyaka, the RGB boss. He however said that despite the laws, journalists need to understand that their freedom to access information should not compromise national interests and security. Gerald Mbanda from RGB, in charge of media affairs said both local leaders and journalists serve public interest stressing that media freedom should fall in line with existing media laws. “Mass media should be a bridge between the government and the people, it has a stake in promoting democracy and good governance,” he said. Steven Kalisa, who represented Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, hailed media reforms saying they were helping the media to work independently to inform, educate and entertain the public. “We try to deliver information without bias,” Kalisa said. Peacemaker Mbungiramihigo, the Executive Secretary of Media High Council, noted that issues such as lack of professionalism and financial constraints still dog the media sector. He said MHC will continue providing in-house training for both broadcast and print media. Under the new media law, all the public institutions as well as private entities are mandated to provide journalists with necessary information in their possession within a maximum of two days upon request. The same law gives ordinary citizens the rights on access to information.