Editors' Forum

EDITORS’ FORUM IN STONE TOWN, ZANZIBAR

On 21st October, Project in Support of a Peaceful and Inclusive Electoral Process in Zanzibar - PROPEL, in collaboration with the Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA), organized the Editors’ Forum in Stone Town, Zanzibar, to discuss editorial challenges facing media houses in Zanzibar, and to analyze how the media can contribute towards a peaceful and inclusive electoral process. The forum was attended by representatives of editorial and managerial levels from media houses in Zanzibar, totaling 30 participants from Unguja and Pemba. This included government media institutions: the Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), Zanzibar Leo Newspaper, and Zanzibar Broadcasting Commission, the politically affiliated media such as Bahari and Swahiba, and private media institutions from both Zanzibar and Tanzania Mainland. Some veteran journalists and directors of media organizations in Zanzibar also attended.

The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) was represented by the Elections Conflict Management Advisor Victoria Florinder, and TAMWA by the Director Mzuri Issa. The forum was facilitated by independent journalist Ali Sultan and Asha Abdi from TAMWA, and moderated by the Executive Secretary of ZBC, Chande Omar. The participants pledged to adhere to high ethical performance and standards, to strengthen associations of journalists in Zanzibar, to encourage and assign journalists to write articles that promote peace and stability, and abolish hate speech messages. It was recommended that TAMWA and ECES would continue monitoring and meeting with the editors at least once per month, and also provide training on gender in the media.