African investigative journalists call out misrule on the continent

The Network of African Investigative Reporters and Editors, NAIRE, has issued a New Year’s statement that is simultaneously a call to action by democratic forces, both on the African continent and globally, to support its efforts to expose regimes consisting of “kleptocrats who sell out resources, promote incompetence and nepotism, and oppress civil society.”

Noting that these same regimes harass, imprison, and even kill credible journalists, and in addition also increasingly “pay fake news reporters and publications (…) to drown out those who aim to unveil injustice,” the NAIRE members add that “international powers (should) take cognizance of “reports (that) have highlighted (…) the cry for freedom that is growing louder in more and more of our countries”. As “investigative reporters, committed to democracy, social justice, transparency, and accountability”, the group says, “we need to be heard and read in London, Paris, New York and indeed Moscow, Teheran, or Beijing.”

In its “Call to Action”, NAIRE also states that reports by African investigative journalists that expose wrongs such as kleptocracy and oppression are not only important to the African continent, but globally. “How will migration away from Africa subside, when kleptocrat rulers benefit from it through ever higher passport fees and (own) involvement in human traffic agencies? How can climate change and deforestation be halted when international funding meant to address these problems disappears into individuals’ pockets? Europe has expressed concern about African military coups, but does it really expect desperate citizens to continue to submit to the rule of thieving and incompetent postcolonial regimes?”

The group pledges to continue its work as “ethical journalists who stand firm amid a barrage of fake news and paid propaganda”, while also seeking the debate “within our communities as well as with the international community and the powerful.” It further calls on “colleagues from countries where journalism is more protected to work with us in equality and help amplify our work” and on “pro-democracy forces, powerful partner countries internationally, the European Union and the African Union to support professional journalism and forces for democracy, accountability and transparency on the continent.”

Noting that it will continue to “build and use the ZAM platform” (where NAIRE’s reports have been published) “to broadcast our calls and our pan-African transnational efforts” and to “increase its (ZAM’s) function as a channel for the editorial, security, legal and psychological support that we so sorely lack in most of our countries”, the group adds that it also plans to “engage with international supporters of democracy and free media to assist us to set up more professional media platforms of good standard in Africa itself.” The statement has been signed by 22 NAIRE members representing or working for media houses in Uganda, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Mali, Cameroon, Mozambique, Comoros, Malawi, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

The full statement of the Network of African Investigative Reporters and editors:

In 2023, Africa proved to be an increasingly dangerous place, both for journalists and for journalism itself. Not only were at least eight of us murdered and 67 imprisoned in this one year, with scores more threatened and harassed, but even the practice of reporting the truth around us is being made increasingly difficult by the corrupt who lead our countries. Political leaders - often kleptocrats who sell out resources, promote incompetence and nepotism and harass and oppress civil society - pay fake news reporters and publications vast amounts of money to drown out those who aim to unveil injustice and hold ruling elites accountable. They use violence to intimidate us, deny us access to information and refuse to even answer the phone when we raise questions. Citizens report losing hope, especially when manipulated elections merely keep the same political elites in power.

It needs to be noted that our corrupt leaders, besides hurting their own citizens, also cause damage to the rest of the world. How will migration away from Africa subside, when kleptocrat rulers benefit from it through ever higher passport fees and involvement in human trafficking agencies? How can climate change and deforestation be halted when international funding meant to address these problems disappears into individual’s pockets? Europe has expressed concern about African military coups, but does it really expect desperate citizens to continue to submit to the rule of thieving and incompetent postcolonial regimes?

Nevertheless, the fact that our current political leaders spend vast amounts on fake news while hunting credible journalists also appears to show that they do, increasingly, see us as a threat. This we are proud to have in common with the activists, critical professionals and other citizens in our countries who challenge the current powers and their systems. Our reports have highlighted the need for international powers to listen to the cry for freedom that is growing louder in more and more of our countries. As African investigative reporters, committed to democracy, social justice, transparency, and accountability, we need to be heard and read in London, Paris, New York and indeed Moscow, Teheran, or Beijing.

We are pleased to say that in this respect too, we have made great strides in 2023, with publications by or about us in media in the UK, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and the USA. In 2024 we ask to be heard even more by these media outlets and their audiences, simply because it’s no longer business as usual. Without our voices, without support for free media and democracy on our continent, without a joint effort to stand against kleptocratic oppressors, Africa is at risk of sliding down even further, with more and more drought and conflict, more people voting with their feet, and more and more despair forcing military coups and other nightmarish futures on the continent.

Journalists are not activists, nor should they be. But it is our professional and ethical duty to report in the public interest, unveil wrongdoing, hold wrongdoers accountable and indeed seek impact for the better. We issue this call for support to colleagues, the wider international citizenry, and the world, because we believe that with more freedom for credible media, more support for the forces of democracy and less kleptocracy, Africa can be a better place. And that a better Africa, which is better equipped to serve its people as well as its nature, forests and climate will also mean a better world.

We hereby pledge in 2024 to:

Distinguish ourselves, members of NAIRE, as credible, ethical journalists who stand firm amid a barrage of fake news and paid propaganda;
Seek the debate within our communities as well as with the international community and the powerful;
Inform our civil society and equip it with the information it needs to act for the public interest;
Establish a strong presence on social media, from where we plan to increasingly engage pan-African and international audiences;
Call colleagues from countries where journalism is more protected to work with us in equality and help amplify our work;
Call pro-democracy forces, powerful partner countries internationally, the European Union and the African Union to support professional journalism and forces for democracy, accountability and transparency on the continent. And to establish this support in dialogue with African citizen’s structures as well as with independent journalists and their networks;
Continue to build and use the ZAM platform to broadcast our calls and our pan-African transnational efforts. And to increase its function as a channel for the editorial, security, legal and psychological support that we so sorely lack in most of our countries;
To engage with international supporters of democracy and free media in assisting us to set up more professional media platforms of good standard in Africa itself.