Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister Tapiwa Matangaidze has urged journalists to desist from dramatising and sensationalising the country’s food shortages, but report “without causing alarm and panic”.
BY NUNURAIJ JENA
Speaking at the belated Mashonaland West Journalists Awards ceremony in Chinhoyi last Friday, Matangaidze said journalists should “avoid exaggerating issues to do with people’s lives”.
“Zimbabwe is currently going through a severe drought and I would like to urge you as journalists to ensure adequate, fair and responsible coverage on issues to do with food distribution and drought relief programme. As media practitioners, you should avoid exaggerating issues to do with people’s lives and their welfare. Sensationalising issues to do with drought relief will not only be inhuman, but immoral as well,” he said.
Matangaidze called on all citizens to play their part in order to ensure that the effects of the current drought were mitigated as much as possible.
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This comes amid reports that some well-connected Zanu PF chefs were abusing government-sourced food aid to drum up support for their party.
Last week, Acting Agriculture minister Saviour Kasukuwere said the number of Zimbabweans needing urgent food relief had risen to 2,4 million due to the drought.