Journalists’ surge into politics raises the issue of impartiality

Dar es Salaam. The journalists’ rush to contest political positions while still active in the media profession has triggered a debate over breaches of ethics and professionalism. It is an even more alarming trend when some of the journalists specialize in current affairs and news anchoring.

Recently, nearly a dozen practicing senior journalists, who execute their roles both in privately owned media outlets and those owned by political parties, have sought to engage in active politics.

A cross-section of analysts doubts whether journalistic objectivity and impartiality will prevail as media practitioners venture into party politics while still active within their profession as arbiters of news.

The question that has been relayed to analysts is whether journalists should engage in active politics, and whether their involvement does not only compromise their profession but also the media’s integrity, thus damaging its credibility.

Mr Elikimbilio Kitoi, Human Resource Manager for Clouds Media Group, whose employees are among the journalists who vied for various posts in the just-concluded Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) National Executive Committee (NEC) elections, said his company sees no reason to hinder its workers’ dreams and aspirations.

“Politics is like soccer; you can support Dar Young Africa or Simba Sports Club and still be a competent sports journalist,” he explained. “Yes, we have journalists with political ambitions; our policy allows us to nurture them without jeopardizing the integrity of the profession.”

Adding: “When we’re informed on the deployment of any of our journalists, that is when their employment ceases, as you can’t serve as a district commissioner while being employed by Clouds.”

The HR expert urged that journalists with other ambitions, such as politics, would need to strike a balance between their profession and their political aspirations, and that his company has put in place mechanisms to ensure that its employees never compromise media integrity.

In the recent CCM intra-party elections, a section of journalists from various media houses, such as Clouds Media Group, Azam Media Group, Jamhuri Media, and other privately owned, community-based media outlets, contested for CCM’s NEC seat.

These include Ms Kijah Yunus, Mr Harris Kapiga, Shaffih Dauda, Mr Hamis Mkotya, Mr Jackton Manyerere, and Mr Baruan Muhuza.

The former Ubungo MP, Mr Saed Kubenea, is another journalist who ventured into politics and yet remained active in his profession.

When reached for comment, Ms Yunus, whose votes appeared insufficient to let her sit in one of the highest organs of her party, said that one needs to understand the core of both the profession and the political position they aspire to.

“As a journalist, I need to know the core value of my profession. Mind you, I run a live program, and sometimes there are conflicting comments or stories that we need to debate during the program, so I usually treat them impartially,” she explained.

According to Ms Yunus, her political ambition has never compromised her career as a journalist, as she is always guided by the principles of journalism.

She says, “Apart from being a journalist, I am also a leader—a member of the national council of the CCM women’s wing and a member of the CCM national congress, so I always stay neutral, and I think being unbiased is the reason why my party nominated me to run for the post.”

Ms Yunus was of the view that being a journalist doesn’t stop one’s love for a certain thing. She says that being a journalist cannot stop her from becoming a member of CCM or Chadema, as she is definitely aware of her limits.

What academicians say

When reached for comment, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC), Dr Darius Mukiza, said, “There are three scenarios to tackle, which are built on a respective media house policy.”

“We need to understand the context of media policy on the matter; we have journalists who work in the private media, others are on news outlets belonging to certain political parties, but there are also those working with government-owned media,” he explained.

Dr Mukiza, who doubles as a media consultant, was of the view that for those working with government outlets, the policy is clear as they need to seek permission from their employer—the government.

The don, who before venturing into academia worked as a journalist, considers journalists working with media that serve as propaganda channels for a political party to have the right to vie for a position within the party they work for.

However, Dr Mukiza stated that it is not advisable for a journalist to engage in active politics. “Of course, there are newsrooms that are clear on this; their policies are clear, but we have media houses whose policies are silent, which is why journalists feel free to contest political offices.”

“It’s true, these individuals (journalists) have the right to vote and to be voted for, but when the profession demands impartiality, then they ought to forsake their right to be voted for, and if they think they need to, then; they should quit journalism,” Dr Mukiza observed.

Media reports on journalism ethics, demand that journalists should not run for a political office and should not get involved in any political activities as ethically, they have no place on the playing fields of politics.

Ms Joyce Majige, an independent political analyst, said: “It is unfortunate, but I consider journalism to be one of the professions that require a high degree of impartiality. So journalists need to act accordingly for the respect of their profession.”

“Of course, they are constitutionally entitled to vote and to be voted for in any public office as long as they meet the set requirements, but they must do nothing that might undermine their professional integrity,” she added.

Ms. Majige believes that biased journalism has contributed significantly to public distrust of journalism, despite the fact that the profession requires impartiality. And having a point of view automatically disqualifies one from being objective, which is contrary to journalistic values.

Dr. Paul Loisulie, a lecturer at the University of Dodoma (Udom), believes that journalists must remain independent and refrain from running for political office, no matter how seemingly worthy the position appears to be, because their objectivity will be compromised.

“Their active political involvement will create space for the journalist in question to either hide or provide untrue or biased news stories to his or her readers in order to please the ruling elites,” he observed.

According to him, in Africa and Tanzania in particular, politics is the only venture with a hugely greener pasture, to which the majority run, leaving their profession at stake.

Adding: “This isn’t only happening within the journalism circle, but even in academia, both professors and doctors are running for political offices simply because their professions don’t pay them well and yet politics pays a lot!”

“I think we need a national debate, or we should create a system in which all will equally benefit. By the way, do you know that sometimes you don’t even need to run for a political office but just be affiliated with the ruling elite, then one benefits from the system? This is not right,” Dr Loisulie lamented.

For his part, Dr Richard Mbunda, a Udsm lecturer, was of the view that although they (journalists) do practice their rights, those who want to be perceived as impartial must avoid any display of party partisanship.

“Such journalists should consider how someone with an opposing view might think about the topics they are covering. They might be objective and fair, but their affiliation with a political party undermines not only their reputation but their media house too,” he remarked.

Two years ago, the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) issued a non-binding note directing all journalists who had aspired to run for political offices to resign and never return to the newsroom as active journalists.

Mr Kajubi Mukajanga, the MCT executive secretary, was quoted as saying: “As members of society, journalists have the right to vote and be voted for; this isn’t a debatable issue, but he/she should stop working as an active journalist because the public will lose trust in them.”