Several legislators in Masvingo and the city’s mayor Hubert Fidze have hailed the advent of citizen journalism, saying it had kept them on their toes and helped them improve their work ethic. BY MOSES MATENGA
Addressing over 70 citizen journalists attending a Tell Zimbabwe capacity-building workshop last week, Fidze said citizen journalists were constantly giving council pointers on areas that required improvements.
“I am sure citizen journalism is the Fifth Estate. Tell Zimbabwe-trained individuals are doing a fantastic job for Masvingo because we are always kept posted of what is happening around us,” Fidze said.
“The city council is relying on citizen journalists to know what the people want. I think service delivery is improving because we are often reminded of things that we have to do,” he said.
Masvingo Urban MP and Zanu PF politburo member Daniel Shumba said the citizen journalists were helping in exposing corruption and keeping public servants busy.
“Through the citizen journalism initiative, Tell Zimbabwe is responding to today’s needs with integrity,” Shumba said.
Zaka North legislator Robison Mavhenyengwa said the community scribes were keeping him on his toes as they covered various projects in his constituency.
Tell Zimbabwe Trust director Golden Maunganidze, who is a journalist-cum-media lecturer, said: “Our aim is to see a corrupt-free society which values human rights and we are using citizen journalism to achieve our goal.”
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Digital media expert John Mokwetsi said citizen journalists play a critical watchdog role at community level.
“The media is going through a tough time in these hard economic conditions. There is no news organisation that can afford to dispatch reporters to every corner of the country. It is for that reason that citizen journalism is the new watchdog. It is often said nobody cares about local politics like local citizens,” Mokwetsi said.
