AS the country builds up to this year's general elections, concern over the safety of media practitioners in executing their mandate has once again come under scrutiny.
This came out in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Electoral Advisory Council's (SEAC) engagement with journalists to assess the political environment.
SEAC, which is chaired by Eswatini's Judge Ticheme Dlamini, is in the country to assess Zimbabwe's preparedness to hold free and fair elections.
The body conducted an engagement with media practitioners in the electoral processes where safety concerns of journalists were raised.
"Above all we (journalists) are supposed to expose electoral malpractice that happens from time to time. As far as the security environment in the context of the forthcoming elections the environment is better than what it was in the past. However we have had incidents where suspected ruling party thugs have assaulted journalists," said a local journalist Mlondolozi Ndlovu.
Zimbabwe's elections have been marred with political violence since the country attained its independence in 1980 and political observers have predicted a recurrence in this year's polls.
Last year journalists were reportedly assaulted while covering opposition rallies by suspected ruling party youths.
A female journalist, Ruvimbo Muchenje, was assaulted by security details of opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in Chinhoyi further raising safety concerns.
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Memory Chere in her submissions to SEAC said there is no appetite from two political protagonists Zanu PF and CCC to protect journalists, leaving media practitioners in a precarious position.
"There is definitely need for concern (security environment) but I want to point out that the position that it is Zanu PF that is the problem may not be totally accurate. I think the security of journalists generally might be something that needs to be considered not as a Zanu PF issue but from the aspect of political parties.
"There is an issue of access again CCC at times has actually deliberately barred journalists from covering its events under accusations of bias or whatever. I think there is a need to engage political parties to ensure that there is free access for all media practitioners," said Chere.
Zimbabwe is expected to hold general elections between July and August this year.
Dlamini said his delegation will hold crucial engagements with the ruling party, CCC, ZEC and civic society organisations to assess if Zimbabwe's political environment is favourable for elections.
"We are here as members of SEAC and our key responsibility is to advise SADC on electoral issues and to also see how democracy can be enhanced. During the pre-election assessment mission what we seek to achieve is to assess and find out if the security and political situation in the country is conducive for the holding of free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections and to be held in accordance with SADC principle and guidelines governing democratic elections," said Dlamini.
