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Women candidates in opposition protest ’biased’ coverage
2005-09-23 07:30:45
By Ludger Kasumuni
Women candidates on opposition party tickets are up in arms against the media, which they accused of bias in election coverage.
They said yesterday in Dar es Salaam that only CCM candidates, especially men, are given prominence.
The candidates were speaking at a three-day seminar on capacity building for women leaders organised by the Tanzania Media for Women Association (Tamwa).
One of the candidates, Mariam Msabaha, who is vying for the Jang’ombe seat in Zanzibar on Chadema ticket, said the media discriminates against women running on opposition parties.
Msabaha said women politicians advocate for the rights of children, but the media has consistently ignored the advocacy for protection of children’s rights.
Nduna Kiwanga, the Chadema candidate for Kilombero, lamented that in most rural areas like Masagati, Uchindile and Utengule villages, there were no reporters to highlight the plight of the ordinary people.
’The situation in rural areas is pathetic, but there are no journalists to highlight it. We have exposed some of the sad tales of people’s sufferings, but the media does not take interest in them,’ said Kiwanga.
Chausta candidate for Kawe constituency Fatma Salum told women journalists to team up with women politicians to enhance their political empowerment.
Fatma said that it was unfair for journalists to discriminate against women politicians as the tendency could compromise women’s political empowerment.
Tamwa chairperson Ichikaeli Maro told the seminar that it is important to raise the participation of women in politics.
She said while the Southern African Development Community (SADC) had set a target of 30 per cent composition of women in national parliaments of member states, the African Union’s target is 50 per cent.
She said the target could only be met by women candidates winning more seats.
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