Young Journalists Association Disassociates Itself With Hopewell Chinono
YOJA statement on alleged links with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and the US Embassy to ‘destabilise the country.’
The Young Journalists Association (YOJA) would like to distance itself from a statement circulating on various social media platforms alleging that it is working with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and the United States Embassy in an effort to ‘set an agenda against the government of Zimbabwe’.
YOJA is an association of budding journalists who seek to attain capacity around issues of media development and access to information.
In its three years of existence the association has sought to provide young journalists with skills and knowledge on communication issues and advocacy in the media.
We would like to state that the statement which alleges that we have been working with Chin’ono is not only false but also an attempt to soil the good image of our association which is not involved in any agenda besides journalism and access to information advocacy.
The statement raises unsubstantiated information that one Rawlings Magede is mobilising young journalists which is not true as Magede is an ordinary member who participates in achieving the association goals through meetings most of which are done online and are open to the majority of journalists.
Magede is a champion of freedom of expression whose commitment to journalism is unparalleled. Over the years he has done much to improve the welfare of journalists through capacity building workshops on Communication for Development, Peace Building and Human Rights.
Unfounded claims that our members will be traveling to rural areas for ‘USD3.00 stories on human rights’ are not factual and a figment of the author’s imagination’.
Furthermore, at no point has the YOJA leadership met the US Embassy in connection with the alleged human rights issues.
Members of the public are free to learn about the work of the association through its spokesperson Leopold Munhende available on 0777945142 and our social media pages.
