2012 Angolan General Elections: what is the role of radio journalists?

By: Simone Pissi

É muito complicado. (“It’s complicated.”)

Ever since I arrived in Luanda several months ago, I have heard Angolans use this phrase when speaking about almost anything. From asking where to find a loaf of bread in the afternoon, to the debates regarding Angolan journalism, this has been the phrase used to begin and end almost any conversation.

Our trip to the northeastern provincial capital of Malanje took us through a number of smaller towns, such as N’Vulungu Alto, Cacusu, and Kalandula, before reaching our final destination. Upon arriving in Malanje, we met with a group of 25 journalists from the northern provinces, with whom we worked to help them better understand their role and responsibility as members of the media in covering elections in Angola. The workshop and several exchange sessions focused on responsible electoral coverage with the assistance of the BBC Media Action Country Representative.

As part of the Radio for Peacebuilding Africa (RFPA) initiative, Search for Common Ground is collaborating with BBC Media Action and the National Syndicate of Angolan Journalists to provide trainings on electoral coverage techniques to journalists from all 17 Angolan provinces. In Angola, as is common elsewhere, elections correspond to periods of heightened media coverage and reporting. With each political party wanting to lead the country, these transitional times are often wrought with divisive language, rising tensions, and politically motivated violence, sometimes resulting in violent conflict. The media is one of the primary catalysts for these dynamics.

The Role of Journalists

The role of journalists is particularly crucial during the election process. In the stable yet fragile Angolan context, and with a mind towards conflict prevention, journalists must depend on their professional skills. SFCG is working to build their capacities so that they can deliver thorough, verified, and unbiased information, pulled from a diversity of sources, to their listeners or readers. At the same time, they must refrain from publishing information that encourages divisions or incites antagonism, which can lead to violence or jeopardize social cohesion.

The trainings provided by SFCG Country Representative in Angola, explained the civic role of journalists as well as their pivotal responsibilities as conflict prevention actors during elections. There was a focus on their role in informing the public during the upcoming Angolan electoral campaign, so that citizens can make responsible decisions on Election Day.

The group analyzed the code of conduct adopted in Togo as being one of the best in sub-Saharan Africa. The overall vision of SFCG in Angola, regarding a code of conduct for journalists, is that it is essential for “the voter to be well informed, to form their own opinion freely, and to make decisions with full knowledge of the facts.” The exchange sessions with the journalists, focused on a number of issues including providing information to voters, as well as the technical aspects such as how to register to vote and how to vote on election day.  The goal is a more informed population and higher voter participation.

To enable voters to choose a candidate who best represents their interests and opinions, journalists should try to provide as much information as possible on the policies and platforms of the different candidates. A journalist can present divergent points of view by interviewing the candidates or analyzing their speeches, if necessary with an expert assisting him/her or with the help of a representative of Civil Society. Interactive program formats can also be used to allow listeners to ask specific questions regarding the candidates’ points. Presenting candidates’ proposed policies will also allow journalists and citizens to monitor the implementation of these promised policies once representatives are elected.

The Workshops: Setting Goals

Exchanges with the local journalists have demonstrated that it is as important to educate listeners about the voting process as it is to inform them about the candidates and their platforms. By working towards both of these priorities, journalists can adequately accomplish their civic duty. Informing the population about the electoral stakes and encouraging the public to vote in large numbers will increase the legitimacy of both elected authorities and the positions they hold.

The training also explained that the journalists’ work should relay the population’s voice, support appropriate electoral conduct, encourage social cohesion and reconciliation, and contribute to the accountability of political actors.

Finally, the training detailed the proportional electoral system that will be implemented in the upcoming 2012 general elections. Angolan citizens will choose from party lists and seats will be awarded according to the votes attributed to each party. The so-called “single-transferable vote” adds an element of confusion to the electoral system. With the single-transferable vote, voters indicate an order of preference among candidates. Once a candidate has received enough votes to be elected outright, second preference votes are added to the totals of the remaining candidates.

As a team-building exercise, one afternoon we were taken to Kalandula waterfalls, a local natural site of fascinating beauty, where the participants were able to interact, and get to know each other. We were all able to enjoy the enchanting landscape while sharing personal opinions on the cultural aspects of the country, its colonial history, and occasionally arguing about the real color of the horns of the iconic black Palanca, the extremely rare black sable antelope, which is the Angolan national animal and symbol of the national airline.

Media in Strengthening Democracy

Not being a journalist myself, and definitely more of a stranger to the Angolan context and society than the rest of the group, I found the issues raised by the journalists particularly interesting as it gave me another perspective on the challenges they faced in their profession. Rosario, a local journalist to whom we spoke during the drive back to Malanje, made comments on the dangers of reporting on sensitive topics “You fear for your life and for the well-being of your family…” Coming from Italy, I now realize I have taken freedom of press and expression for granted, often puzzled by the regular indigestion of inaccurate information and irrelevant gossip resulting from what seems to be an excessive flexibility given to the media in the western world. The reality I have found here, however, is quite different.

The journalist’s words hung in the cool night air as we drove to a field set ablaze by local farmers. With the fires behind us, I flicked through the photos of a young boy polishing shoes by the side of a street in Malanje and I found myself thinking of the enormous contrasts Angola had offered thus far. While the visit to the Kalandula waterfalls proved to be a welcome change from the otherwise bustling Luanda, it also served as a reminder of the great possibilities this country has to offer and the stark contrast with the present reality, and of course why they say é muito complicado.

In the end it was very clear to me that, although elections are the cornerstone of any democracy, the media has a vital role in informing the public about what the politicians are promising, in telling the politicians what ordinary people want or do not want, and in ensuring that the elections are “free and fair”. This is particularly important in countries lacking a solid background of democratic rule such as Angola.

Simone Pissi is currently interning with SFCG’s Luanda office in Angola. Holding a joint degree in Political Science and International Affairs from Link Campus University of Malta and Universita’ Federico II di Napoli, Simone will return to Italy after his internship to continue with his Master’s degree in Human Development and Food Security.