MVIWATA / 11 May 2012
Investigative Journalism and critical analysis into land issues currently affecting rural communities would not only reveal malpractices in land issues but also provide a voice for the voiceless in rural communities.
This was said by activists at a media professionals land rights training organised in Morogoro on 11th May, 2012 by Tanzania Land Alliance (TALA) in which MVIWATA is the founder member.
The training attracted 31 journalists from Ruvuma, Manyara, Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Morogoro who were trained on land rights and investigative journalism and co-opted to work on land rights and advocacy issues.
The objective was to enhance their knowledge base on investigating and reporting land issues, enhance understanding on analyzing land laws and policies and equipping them with new techniques of reporting land issues.
The Executive Director of a Land Rights Research and Resources Institute (HAKIARDHI) Mr Yefred Myenzi said that if reporters, through their media houses, committed themselves to investigating and reporting land issues, things would have changed because the media is the key for changes.
He advised reporters to report correct and balanced stories that would provide solution rather than banking on eclecticism kind of reporting while many small-scale farmers in the country are faced with land conflicts problems.
“Media is all over the country where land conflicts are happening now. You can have a noble duty, to reveal these malpractices. I encourage you to venture into investigative reporting so that together, we can address land conflicts issues” he said.
For his part the Executive Director of the National Network of Small-Scale Farmers Groups in Tanzania (MVIWATA) Mr Stephen Ruvuga, observed that rate at which land is being grabbed leaves a lot to be desired and if no measures would be taken to address it, long cherished peace and harmony would disappear.
Citing the example of Zimbabwe and Kenya, Ruvuga said that the problem was not politics that divided people but rather it was mismanagement of land issues that fuelled conflicts and hatred among the general public.
He therefore, appealed reporters to take a leading role and help to find solutions to the increasing wave of land conflicts in Tanzania through investigative journalism.
In his paper titled ‘Investigative Journalism’ a Veteran Journalist in Tanzani Mr Ndimara Tigambagwe urged young journalists to think of other work to do if they are not ready to take the way to investigative journalism.
“The investigative reporter doesn't just report the news; she/he researches interesting angles and gives the reader or viewer in-depth details and presents facts. The work environment is hectic and demanding, as news stories often break in real time to a news-hungry audience. So to become an investigative reporter, you need to have good researching skills, the ability to build a network of informational resources and good writing skills and be courageous,” said Mr Tigambagwe.
Some of journalists who attended the training said lack of facilities and financial problems are among of challenges for them to employ more on investigative journalism. “We are working as reporters, not fully employed thus we are getting unreliable remuneration that can not cover the cost investigative journalism.”
Generally, the training was very fruitful to them as they appreciated and requested that if resources allow TALA should build their capacity especially on investigative journalism on land and investments on village lands.
One of the workshop resolutions was to plan for establishment of a network of journalist who are mostly collaborates with farmers.
Veteran Journalist in Tanzania Mr Ndimara Tigambagwe, facilitating the training
Investigative Journalism and critical analysis into land issues currently affecting rural communities would not only reveal malpractices in land issues but also provide a voice for the voiceless in rural communities.
This was said by activists at a media professionals land rights training organised in Morogoro on 11th May, 2012 by Tanzania Land Alliance (TALA) in which MVIWATA is the founder member.
The training attracted 31 journalists from Ruvuma, Manyara, Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Morogoro who were trained on land rights and investigative journalism and co-opted to work on land rights and advocacy issues.
The objective was to enhance their knowledge base on investigating and reporting land issues, enhance understanding on analyzing land laws and policies and equipping them with new techniques of reporting land issues.
The Executive Director of a Land Rights Research and Resources Institute (HAKIARDHI) Mr Yefred Myenzi said that if reporters, through their media houses, committed themselves to investigating and reporting land issues, things would have changed because the media is the key for changes.
He advised reporters to report correct and balanced stories that would provide solution rather than banking on eclecticism kind of reporting while many small-scale farmers in the country are faced with land conflicts problems.
“Media is all over the country where land conflicts are happening now. You can have a noble duty, to reveal these malpractices. I encourage you to venture into investigative reporting so that together, we can address land conflicts issues” he said.
For his part the Executive Director of the National Network of Small-Scale Farmers Groups in Tanzania (MVIWATA) Mr Stephen Ruvuga, observed that rate at which land is being grabbed leaves a lot to be desired and if no measures would be taken to address it, long cherished peace and harmony would disappear.
Citing the example of Zimbabwe and Kenya, Ruvuga said that the problem was not politics that divided people but rather it was mismanagement of land issues that fuelled conflicts and hatred among the general public.
He therefore, appealed reporters to take a leading role and help to find solutions to the increasing wave of land conflicts in Tanzania through investigative journalism.
In his paper titled ‘Investigative Journalism’ a Veteran Journalist in Tanzani Mr Ndimara Tigambagwe urged young journalists to think of other work to do if they are not ready to take the way to investigative journalism.
“The investigative reporter doesn't just report the news; she/he researches interesting angles and gives the reader or viewer in-depth details and presents facts. The work environment is hectic and demanding, as news stories often break in real time to a news-hungry audience. So to become an investigative reporter, you need to have good researching skills, the ability to build a network of informational resources and good writing skills and be courageous,” said Mr Tigambagwe.
Some of journalists who attended the training said lack of facilities and financial problems are among of challenges for them to employ more on investigative journalism. “We are working as reporters, not fully employed thus we are getting unreliable remuneration that can not cover the cost investigative journalism.”
Generally, the training was very fruitful to them as they appreciated and requested that if resources allow TALA should build their capacity especially on investigative journalism on land and investments on village lands.
One of the workshop resolutions was to plan for establishment of a network of journalist who are mostly collaborates with farmers.
