About us

The Association of Zimbabwe Journalists in the UK

The Association of Zimbabwean Journalists in the UK (AZJ-UK) was launched in 2005 to bring together exiled journalists and other media practitioners living outside the country.

So far we number about 40 experienced Zimbabwean journalists, having left the country for various reasons connected to the political and economic problems bedevilling our country.

The association aims bring together journalists in the diaspora to work together with help those at home to help expand the shrinking democratic space in our country through establishing a vibrant, non-governmental mass media.

An independent media is vital to democracy, hence our decision to afford those journalists whose newsrooms were forced to shut down by the government a chance to write once again about the crisis obtaining in our country.

Oppressive media laws like the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) continue to be used selectively to intimidate the media and journalists into submission.

We are independent of any political party and will work together with our colleagues scattered around the globe as we seek to afford those who have been rendered voiceless, a way through which to voice their opinions.

Planned Activities

• Nurturing media skills so badly needed in Zimbabwe
• Fighting for Press Freedom at home and wherever we are.
• Forming alliances with the media in the UK and other parts of the world
• Developing a database of Zimbabwean journalists
• Supporting those who have been affected by the repressive laws or been tortured, incarcerated, beaten-up, harassed and intimidated.
• Find placements for the journalists and photographers so they can continue to work in their chosen fields and improve on their skills
• Secure further training for the journalists within universities and colleges and even media houses in and around the UK
• Providing a platform for the journalists to meet, discuss ideas of how they can further develop themselves
• To seek assistance for Zimbabwean journalists who have been rendered jobless by the government’s decision to close down independent newspapers
• Engage in any other activities that will further the cause for our members and colleagues at home
• Work in collaboration with organisations such as the Commonwealth Association of Journalists, the National Union of Journalists, newspaper organisations, the Exiled Journalists Network in the UK and related institutions in our programmes to improve the skills of the exiled Zimbabwean journalists and others living abroad.

We hope this website will give the journalists chances to link together with the rest of the world, showcase their work, find placements and provide technical training so they can use such skills when they eventually return to Zimbabwe.

We would want to network with many journalists from around the world who can help us achieve our aims but mainly the journalists in Zimbabwe themselves, student journalists, teachers, lecturers and others interested in fighting for free expression and access to information in the country.

Our Vision

To create an environment in which freedom of expression and access to information by all the peoples of Zimbabwe is possible. We aim to write stories on our website that will be fair, accurate, and honest, and give all the players in the Zimbabwean crisis a chance to air their views, but mainly allow those without a voice an outlet through which they can air their opinions.

Our Mission

Democratic space in Zimbabwe has been shrinking by the day and the closure of mainstream newspapers like The Daily News has worsened the situation so our mission is to:

• Play a role in expanding the shrinking democratic space in the country
• To offer an independent outlet for news for and by the people of Zimbabwe
• To tell the Zimbabwean story like it is without fear or favour
• To provide a source of balanced, authoritative, accurate and in-depth information about Zimbabwe.