HARARE - Parliament will get a chance to deliberate on findings by the Information Media Panel Inquiry (Impi), the ministry of Information has said.
This comes as legislators have been questioning Impi’s mandate and who exactly was bankrolling its fact-finding mission.
Impi, conceived in April by Information, Media and Broadcasting Services minister Jonathan Moyo, is mandated to “enquire into, assess and determine the policy, legal, technological, business, human resource and institutional adequacy and readiness in the information sector.”
Moyo, yesterday conceded Impi had attracted a lot of scrutiny.
“The questions being asked are a show that your product will attract a lot of scrutiny,” Moyo said.
The ministry was positive the panel comprised the best people who could have done the inquiry to come up with a product that would map a way to a sustainable media industry.
“We are in no doubt; it is composed of people with the right set of mind,” Moyo said.
“It has people who have distinguished themselves in their sectors. We are satisfied we have the right skills which have been deployed.”
Secretary for Information George Charamba said at an Impi meeting in Harare yesterday: “It is funded from public money, so it will not be a private product.
“It will go to the ministry and it will go to Parliament. And we will look at it and look at the recommendations.”
Zanu PF legislator Joseph Chinotimba recently questioned the logic behind the creation of Impi and demanded to know who was funding its activities. He alleged Impi was wasting tax payers’ money by embarking on a non-essential programme.
The panel is made up of top editors from the public and private media, marketing and advertising representatives, information and communications technology experts, civil society members and other professionals.
The panel has been travelling around the country, collecting information on media issues by holding public hearings and will soon embark on a regional tour, to learn the best media practices in other countries.
Information deputy minister Supa Mandiwanzira warned the panel not to be caught up in politics but gather intellectual and business opinions on how to add impetus to the Zimbabwean media industry.