Confidence grows in Media Council

Ray Kaukonde, former governor of Mashonaland East, has been the pacesetter in accepting that the media can truly self regulate. Despite the fact that the government of Zimbabwe has a state-controlled body tasked with licensing and regulating the media, the VMCZ has been growing in popularity as an arbitrator in cases of public complaints about the media. Kaukonde launched his complaint against a local daily newspaper through the VMCZ, and the matter seems to have been solved amicably.
Another high profile figure to take his case to VMCZ is the Clerk of Parliament, Austin Zvoma, who also had a dispute with a local weekly newspaper. Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) Secretary General Foster Dongozi said the fact that high profile figures were going to the VMCZ to complain and the ability of VMCZ to handle the cases shows that the media in the country can successfully self regulate.
There is no need for state control. You would expect these people to go to the Zimbabwe Media Commission – but that is not the case as they accept the fact that the media can run itself with state interference, said Dongozi. Free media advocate Enock Mutsvairo said the fact that people were taking their cases to VMCZ could be a vote of acceptance in the body. It could also be a trap to test the ability of VMCZ. But I have confidence in VMCZs ability, said Mutsvairo