Zanzibar holds first official meeting with public media
Government Executives led by President Ali Mohamed Shein yesterday had their first formal meeting with members of the public/ government media here to ensure challenges hampering their relations are resolved amicably.
The meeting held at the former House of Representatives debate chamber, Kikwajuni Street, was in response to journalists’ repeated call for improved relations and cooperation, particularly on news sourcing.
Unnecessary bureaucracy, which involves writing letters to respective ministry to request for information and negative responses are some of the common challenges facing journalists while looking for news from public offices.
“Our role is public education and awareness as per government policies and constitutions, but it seems most of the executives in the government ignore that fact,” said journalists at the meeting which was also attended by the Second Vice- President, Ambassador Seif Ali Idd and Chief Secretary, Dr Abdulhamid Yahya Mzee.
Lack of working tools and inefficiency in many government media houses are other problems that were raised at the meeting chaired by President Shein, who vowed to ensure that the challenges become a history. Before concluding the meeting with seventeen resolutions, Dr Shein asked executives (ministers, principal secretaries, regional commissioners and community leaders) to provide maximum cooperation to journalists.
“People need to be informed about government activities, particularly the recorded development achievement. We have a lot to communicate to the people, let us do it by using the media,” Dr Shein emphasized.
He said that freedom of information which is among indicators of democracy remains one of the successful objectives of the 1964 revolution which brought to an end colonial regime backed government.
Some of the resolutions are that journalists should be included in the visits made by top leaders, including the president, review of the information policy, strengthening of media/executives relations, trainings and establishing Zanzibar’s National Media Day (to provide annual forum between journalists and government officers to discuss issues).
Prior to the discussions, the Deputy Principal Secretary - Ministry of Information, Tourism, Culture, and Sports, Dr Hassan Mitawi briefed the participants about the history of media in Zanzibar and its importance in the country.