Sharon Chigeza
MUTARE-The ongoing establishment of community radio stations is in pursuit of increasing broadcasting access to marginalised communities as part of Government’s thrust to work towards attaining an upper middle income economy by 2030.
As such community radio stations which must not be used in promoting political agendas are vital in fostering development in their localities.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) strategic review workshop, BAZ, Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) Tendai Kapumha said the authority was on track in opening up the airwaves to remote areas as they are planning to open up two more community radio stations by year end.
“As an authority we are currently pleased with the progress that has been made in the opening up of the airwaves as we have seen to the licensing six television stations with two of them operational, and 14 community radio stations in the country, five of them are already on as we work towards the opening of two more stations by the end of the year. This in pursuit of increasing access to broadcasting service to communities that have previously have not had access to such facilities,” said Eng Kapumha.
He said community radios and television stations had a clear mandate in terms of the operating licenses to which they were to abide to and the BAZ continued to play an oversight role to ensure those who had received licenses comply with the conditions of their licenses.
“Community radios have a clear mandate in terms of what is allowed and what is not allowed on their licenses and they simply have to abide by that. There are no new rules, they have to abide by their mandate during or not during an elections, and there are clear rules on their licenses. I am sure they are comfortable in the governance of how these stations deal with any special events with regards to the upcoming election period,” he added.
In her address, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, in a speech read on her behalf by Chief Director in her Ministry, Jonathan Gandari, said media played an integral part in the shaping of the socio-economic processes of the country.
“Under the Second Republic, the President, His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has made a clarion call for the media in general and the broadcasting sector in particular to play an integral part of transforming and shaping the social, economic and democratic processes of the Zimbabwe as we build it brick by brick and stone upon stone. The broadcasting media ought to make the wheels of the economy turn,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa added that broadcasting media played a crucial role in mobilizing the nation in collectively contributing to the economic thrust as underpinned by the national development strategy blueprint (NDS1.)
“It is not a secret that under the Second Republic, therefore the role of broadcasting media is crucial in national development as we mobilize the nation to put hands on the deck and collectively contribute towards the national aspirations of the Upper middle income society which will advance and improve the wellbeing of the people,” she added.
Plans are well underway for the opening up of Lyeja-Nyayi FM in Hwange and Shashe Radio in Beitbridge by year end as Government moves forward in increasing access to broadcasting services.
