Twenty years after the Windhoek Declaration on press freedom

timate <strong>the</strong> importance of this
project for our sector in a context
that is profoundly marked
by technological changes which
make it possible for almost anyone
anywhere to generate and
widely disseminate content.
To save <strong>the</strong> future of journalism
in Africa and guarantee <strong>the</strong>
emergence and success of good
democratic governance as well
as economic and human development,
we need a coalition of
visionary media leaders committed
to <strong>the</strong> highest standards of
ethics both in <strong>the</strong>ir newsrooms
and in <strong>the</strong>ir business units.
AMI will keep working tirelessly
to achieve this objective for
African media to become and
remain pluralistic, independent
and <strong>the</strong> honest voice of <strong>the</strong>
people. In terms of declarations
of intent, Tanzania is well on <strong>the</strong>
way of achieving that objective.
On <strong>the</strong> ground, though, <strong>the</strong> story
is dramatically different, as
documented by <strong>the</strong> Media Institute
of Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Africa’s book,
So this is Democracy? The publication,
launched in <strong>Windhoek</strong>
on World Press Freedom Day
in March this year, takes a dim
view of what it calls <strong>the</strong> “mercenary”
conduct of <strong>the</strong> media
during Tanzania’s October 2010
general election.
That’s <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r reality that
needs to be fixed before <strong>the</strong>
media can effectively take up
its role in <strong>the</strong> socio-political
development of Africa.
Section 1: Freedom
Journalists rooting out
corruption in Africa
By Naomi Hunt
Naomi Hunt has worked as a press
freedom adviser for Africa and <strong>the</strong>
Middle East at <strong>the</strong> International
Press Institute (IPI), Vienna, Austria,
since 2009.
Corruption is a problem. In fact, with
armed conflict, it is a major impediment
to development. According to
statistics published on StopCorruption.eu,
25 percent of African countries’
GDP is lost to corruption each
year. Corruption inflates <strong>the</strong> costs
of achieving <strong>the</strong> Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), too. According
to one statistic that <strong>the</strong> website
lists, <strong>the</strong> cost of meeting <strong>the</strong> MDG
on clean water and sanitation will
be $48 billion more than it should
as a result of corruption. Kickbacks,
graft, bribery, <strong>the</strong> misappropriation
of funds – all undermine democracy
and take resources away from those
who need <strong>the</strong>m most.
While governments and NGOs have
recognised <strong>the</strong> importance of increasing
accountability and transparency,
and many African countries
have instituted anti-corruption
commissions, many have failed to
promote a free and professional
media as a way to combat corruption.
Journalists hold governments accountable
by uncovering corruption
and by helping sustain public
pressure so that corrupt officials
Media in Africa - 2011 | 55