Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, Zimpapers Business Hub
INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, has appealed to the Treasury to allocate increased resources to the media sector to strengthen its operations, unlock further opportunities, and ensure the attainment of strategic communication objectives aligned with national development.
Speaking in Bulawayo yesterday during the 2026 Pre-Budget Seminar, Dr Muswere called for an upward revision of the ministry’s budget allocation to enable it to fulfil its mandate in line with the National Development Strategy.
He outlined the ministry’s mission as the preservation and advancement of Zimbabwe’s founding values, national identity, and strategic interests on the global stage through a modern, diversified, and inclusive information and communication industry.
Dr Muswere emphasised that this mission is rooted in the ministry’s role as a real-time disseminator of Zimbabwean information both locally and internationally, with a clear objective to foster a cohesive national consciousness that defends, upholds, and promotes the country’s founding principles, identity, and interests.
The ministry’s operations are guided by two key programmes: policy and administration, and information and publicity.
“The total budget bid stands at ZWG2,8 billion, while the provisional allocation is ZWG381,6 million. This clearly indicates a financing gap of ZWG2,4 billion across both programmes, representing an 86 percent shortfall,” said Dr Muswere.
He added that prioritising these capital requirements would enable the ministry to enhance Government visibility and responsiveness to public needs, improve co-ordination of national events, foster a unified national identity, ensure sustainable and cost-effective resource management through strategic asset acquisition, and support the ministry’s outreach efforts to build trust, inclusivity, and engagement across the country.
Dr Muswere outlined the ministry’s strategic priorities for 2026, which include completing the long-delayed Zimbabwe Digital Project, developing content applications to produce film and drama across all 10 provinces, installing outdoor public viewing screens, establishing a new creative industry rooted in national heritage, promoting public debate platforms and media literacy, and implementing two-way communication systems, including digital analytical tools.
He also highlighted the need for restructuring in line with the service-wide devolution and job evaluation exercise conducted by the Public Service Commission. Other priorities include expanding national coverage through the creation of three new television channels, acquiring essential tools and enhancing manpower development, ensuring inclusive national participation in development, capacitating the national film school, and modernising ZBC’s Pockets Hill Film Studios.
Meanwhile, Dr Muswere revealed that the ministry had an approved original budget allocation of ZWG533 million for the year 2025, with an accumulated expenditure of ZWG289 million as of 31 October 2025 — representing 54 percent of the original allocation.
“We are currently underfunded, with outstanding payments amounting to ZWG113 million,” he said.
Despite these financial constraints, Dr Muswere noted that the ministry’s key achievements in 2025 included the dissemination and branding of all domestic and international Government programmes, expansion of national radio coverage through the installation of transmitters, facilitation of media tours, reshaping the national narrative around Government development initiatives, and amplifying positive messaging about the people of Zimbabwe, the country, and its leadership.
Additionally, the ministry successfully established community radio stations, modernised and operationalised Montrose Television Studios and radio studios in Bulawayo, and launched the Integrated Zimbabwe Media Policy.
