Let’s own the information

layout that allows free decision making, it is a weigh-down and not an advantage.
In the early days, to inform was critically understood as “to give form to the mind”, “to discipline”, “instruct”, “teach”, influence men so astute so they could go and advise even their own kings.
Though it is at the back of our minds that information is so important, I believe still that we are failing to acknowledge the actual effect that information has on our mindset. We are reluctant in scrutinising the information and information sources from which we willingly and ignorantly receive information, especially the one we receive from western sources.
In a bid to understand how the world views Africa, I believe well informed individuals by now know that with regards to the status of Africa mostly western information sources are negative. They are always with a hidden agenda, misleading, fictitious, mendacious and just in the wrong.
This way of propagating is skillfully designed to influence people’s minds around the world into believing that Africa is still behind, a dark continent that’s languishing in poverty and going nowhere.
True intelligence on our part is not prematurely reacting to these unverified Western ideologies of Africa but should be in the capacity to evaluate this uncertain, hazardous, misleading and conflicting information that’s generated not for our own good but rather to serve western countries and their foreign policies.
What information consumes is rather obvious, it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence, a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it “Herbert Simon”. As Zimbabweans we need to watch out for the information gap that currently exists in our society.
A typical Zimbabwean young person knows more of what’s happening in Europe and China than they do of what’s happening in their own mother country.
This is a result of a congestion of dogmas, ideologies and belief systems that are scrambling for human attention through the internet, films, music, sport, TV shows and international media. We need to get over the negativity that surrounds us, embrace who we are and generate an interest on affairs that directly affect us, these are matters that relates to our nation, our families, the economy and our future well being as a people.
The most vulnerable bracket from this invasion is the youth and the Ministry of Information and Publicity needs to lead Government in ensuring that the human attention in our nation towards domestic affairs is restored. Exposure is good but we cannot allow our youthful society to be exposed at the expense of national interest and to their self-devastation. By default youth are inquisitive, curious and nosy — as a result of these attributes, young people are vulnerable to all kinds of manipulative and abusive information propagation that is really not intended to benefit them but seeks to further a hidden agenda.  
To counter this manipulation of African minds through international media, the Ministry of Information and Publicity must play a role in which the ways in which information is propagated in this country are strategically developed, crafted and modernised in a way that bridges the information gap that currently exists.
How information is disseminated is very important if it is to be used to shape a people’s frame of mind.
Knowing where young people look for information is only half the battle for communicators and actually knowing where young people find information is the other challenge we have to face.  To better engage young people, it is crucial for government to get its message out through a balanced approach between the use of new technologies and more traditional media.
The constant, consistent and revolutionised use of both the latest technologies, such as the use of social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and maintaining traditional ones, is key to reaching the widest possible audience. Though efforts have been made to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of information propagation, the digital and technological divide is still an obstacle for many developing countries in Africa and that includes Zimbabwe.
There is a real need to break down this “digital wall” that exist between developed and developing countries in order to increase our influence on the youthful society currently being deceived by the Western media.
l Innocent Katsande is the communications officer for the Zimbabwe Youth Council.