By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
Ndola District Electoral Officer Cosmas Chalusa has implored journalists across the country to ensure that they report truthfully in this year’s August polls.
Speaking when he officiated at the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) media training workshop on elections, Mr Chalusa said that the commission regards the media as a vital stakeholders.
Mr Chalusa said that the media should ensure that Zambians are well informed so that there is free and fair elections.
“In order to have free media, there is need for the media to know and fully understand the electoral process, the media must be also reliable, as it is the only medium were people can get the correct information,” he said.
Mr Chalusa said the media must endeavor to report fairly on campaign happenings so that the electorates can make informed choices.
He said that with emergency of social media and citizen reporting, the media should adapt to change to provide accurate information.
“The media must ensure to shift their approach, so that misinformation, misleading statements, and hate speech is stopped, I hope that journalists will uphold the conduct of ethics when reporting this campaign and election period,” he said.
Mr Chalusa urged the media to report on issues affecting citizens and avoid reporting issues that can case unrest.
“The media is an institution that is obligated to provide accurate information to the people, respected media practitioners must use honest ways of reporting an avoid fuelling hate speech,” he said.
Mr Chalusa said ECZ will establish a committee to ensure that media fully understand issues concerning the Electoral process.
