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Mengi warns media against voter manipulation
2005-07-21 07:25:21
By Ludger Kasumuni
Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT) Chairman Reginald Mengi yesterday warned the media against imposing their views on the minds of voters.
Addressing political reporters in Dar es Salaam, Mengi said the media should not influence the electorate to elect leaders that suit the wishes of media owners.
Don’t force the electorate to accept your choices.
Don’t make them base their choices on yours, said Mengi, who is also IPP Executive Chairman.
He urged the reporters to educate the electorate to enable them make informed decisions during the October polls.
On peaceful elections, Mengi advised the media to avoid being the cause of political chaos.
He stressed the need for the media to embark on issues rather than personalities when covering the elections.
Mengi was speaking at a one-day meeting for political reporters organised by the Media Institute of Southern Africa -Tanzania Chapter (MISA-TAN) under the Election Media Monitoring Project.
Meanwhile, members of the press who attended the MISA-TAN meeting resolved to form an association devoted to improving the quality of political reporting and political journalism.
Election Media Monitoring Chairman Jimmy Mdoe supported the idea, saying it would build a strong network for addressing the problems affecting political coverage.
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