Training journalists to report on election is a wise thing to do

As the country prepares for elections which majority of the population remain skeptical of them taking place, the latest efforts to train and prepare journalists for any eventuality on that front is commendable.

Several journalists in the country lack any experience of covering elections, since South Sudan has not had periodic elections over the years.

Therefore, the two-day training conducted on Thursday by the Union of Journalists in South Sudan (UJOSS) with support from UNESCO is a wise thing to do despite the uncertainty in the public over the elections taking place.

It’s better to prepare the journalists earlier enough for the process that is challenging due to not only the huge demands but also safety of the messengers.

The workshop is timely because early preparedness helps to avoid mistakes ahead that could turn out serious.

UJOSS should emphasize training on safety due to the nature of elections on the continent which tend to involve intimidation by politicians, security forces on journalists.

This critical part should be emphasized to ensure that journalists are able to do discharge their duties in a safe environment when the election campaigns heat up.