Journalists warned

The Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda says media houses should respect basic views of their profession and desist from engaging in deliberate distortion of facts.  

In statement, Dr Sibanda said journalists should play a part in upholding the age-old cabinet conventions of confidentiality, secrecy and collective responsibility.

Dr Sibanda was referring to an article in today's issue of the Newsday titled 'Cabinet Skips 9 Meetings.'

The newspaper alleged that cabinet had missed nine meetings owing to President Robert Mugabe's foreign trips.

Dr Sibanda said the allegations pass for an assertion by someone who is ignorant of the facts on the ground and bent on encouraging defamation.

He said at least, the writer of the article should have sought views of appropriate offices in the interest of ensuring fairness, balance and accuracy.