‘All languages are equal, important’

Bongani Ndlovu, in Hwange
Nambya, Tonga and Dombe languages are set to finally go on air, thanks to the Government’s decision to license Lyeja Nyayi community radio station.

The issuing of community radio stations is a way for Zimbabweans to go back to their roots and use their languages as they are all equal and important, the Deputy Minister of information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Kindness Paradza, has said.

Yesterday, the Deputy Minister was in Hwange, Matabeleland North province to assess progress in the setting up of Lyeja Nyayi community radio station.

It is among 14 community radio station licences that were awarded by Government last year and was given 18 months to start operations.

Lyeja Nyayi community Radio has until December 2022 to start operating, and will use Nambya, Tonga and Dombe languages.
Addressing the community that included traditional leaders at The Little Theatre, Deputy Minister Paradza said there is no language in Zimbabwe that is superior to others.

“Our constitution identifies 16 official languages and they are all at par, there’s no language which is more superior to the other.

I know Ndebele and Shona they claim to be dominant languages, but with this new dispensation and the coming of our constitution in 2013 we recognised that all languages are equal and important. I am using English today because this is a colonial language. I should be using Nambya.

Now we are going back to our roots, we are saying each language and each dialect, recognised by the constitution and even not recognised by the constitution, but is spoken within the boundaries of Zimbabwe, that language must be heard and must have a voice and it has a culture,” said Deputy Minister Paradza.

He said with Lyeja Nyayi Community Radio, Government expects the community radio station to promote local languages.

“We started by issuing out to those communities that are along our border areas. Those communities which used to call themselves marginalised. Those communities who thought their language was of a minority nature.

“These are language-based licenses. Here we expect you from the 18th of December going forward to broadcast in Nambya, in Tonga and in Dombe which are the predominant languages here. I know you have Ndebele I know you have Shona but Shona and Ndebele are well catered for by ZBC,” he said.

“We want to have identity, in the form of particular languages and dialects and are catered for in the constitution. People must hear their voices on this radio; we must have programmes that speak to the culture of the locals here. We must have content that is coming out of the community and relevant to the community.”

Lyeja Nyayi Development Trust spokesperson, Mr Casper Kombana Ndlovu told Deputy Minister Paradza that they had made head way in setting up the radio station.

He said they approached Hwange Colliery who allocated them a building at Pentagog quarters for the community radio station.
However, Mr Ndlovu said the progress in working on the site was stalled by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As the community, we went on to clear the shrubs and cleaned the house since it was disused. Progress on the building is slower than expected because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which also affected companies that would have helped us but were operating with skeletal staff so as to curb the spread of the pandemic,” he said.

He said the community has so far raised $10 000 toward the community radio station. Headman Sebastian Neluswi who was also in the meeting said they were grateful that their culture, language and heritage will be preserved through the radio station.

He added that children will now be more interested in their culture and languages as they will now hear the languages being spoken on radio.

Nambya Cultural Association chairman, Mr Gabriel Shoko said the move by Government was commendable. Today, Deputy Minister Paradza will be in Binga, Matabeleland North province, to assess the progress at Twasumbuka Community Radio Trust.

He has been around the southern region, with his assessment tour taking him to Maphisa, Mbembesi and Plumtree in Matabeleland South. — Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi