Umbononje publishes news, analysis and tips about Africa and the wider world. These are the standards we hold ourselves to on every piece. They are written down so readers can hold us to them, and so anyone writing with us knows the bar.
1. Sourcing before opinion
Every factual claim is traced to a named source: an official document, a named news organisation, a research body, or a person on the record. We link or name the source. Where we cannot verify a claim, we either say so or leave it out. We do not present a rumour, a social-media post, or a single anonymous tip as established fact.
2. Opinion is labelled as opinion
Analysis and commentary are clearly marked. When we draw a conclusion from reporting, we tell the reader which part is reported fact and which part is our judgement. We do not smuggle a conclusion into a sentence that reads like a report.
3. Numbers get context
Figures, forecasts and projections are attributed and dated. Where a number is an estimate or is contested, we say so. We do not round a projection into a certainty.
4. Fairness and right of reply
People and organisations criticised in a piece get a fair chance to respond before publication where it is practical, or as soon as possible after. We publish the substance of a serious denial, not a token line.
5. Corrections
When we get something wrong, we correct it openly and quickly, and we say what changed. Corrections are not quietly deleted.
6. Independence
Advertising and sponsorship never buy coverage, and they never buy silence. Any paid or sponsored content is clearly labelled as such. Editorial decisions are made on the merits of a story, not on the commercial relationship behind it.
7. Privacy and dignity
We report on public matters. We do not drag private individuals into the open without a public-interest reason. We handle grief, illness and death with restraint.
8. Coverage of the monarchy and the state
Umbononje does not run routine royal or ceremonial coverage. Our one exception is the death of a member of the royal family, which we report factually and soberly. The same restraint applies to state ceremony that carries no news value.
9. No plagiarism, no fabrication
We do not copy another outlet’s work without credit, and we do not invent quotes, sources or scenes. AI tools may help gather or check information, but a human is answerable for what is published.
10. How to reach us
If you believe we have got something wrong, or you want to put your side of a story, contact the editorial desk. We will read it.
These guidelines take their lead from the standards expected of broadcasters and journalists in Eswatini and from widely used press codes, and are written for how Umbononje actually works.