Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka, [email protected]
INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Zhemu Soda, yesterday toured Zimpapers Bulawayo Branch and the refurbished Zimbabwe Broadcasting Authority (ZBC) Montrose Studios on the sidelines of the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), where he emphasised the critical role of the media in connecting economies through effective messaging.
As part of the tour, the delegation made a stop at the Chronicle Building, where Zimpapers Chief Executive Officer, Mr William Chikoto, who was accompanied by the group’s Chief Financial Officer, Mrs Prisca Makandwa, briefed the minister on the imminent transformation of the historical building.
Dr Soda said effective communication remains central to economic growth in line with this year’s premier expo theme: “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries.”
He reiterated that the media in Zimbabwe is living up to the national mandate of technological advancement to spur economic growth. “For people to understand the existence of products and services, they must be informed,” he said.
“In line with this year’s theme, communication is essential for economies to thrive. It allows businesses to grow by informing the public on where to find products and with whom they can do business.”
Dr Soda said what he witnessed during the tour reflected a media sector aligning itself with national development priorities and the ZITF theme.
“I toured the various stands housed under the ministry and was taken through the major highlights being showcased at ZITF 2026,” he said.
“What I’ve seen is a clear thrust toward modernisation across all our entities. We are moving away from old technologies in line with the mandate from His Excellency, President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, to modernise all our operations,” said Dr Soda.
He said the transformation drive was evident across key institutions under the ministry whose strategic role cannot be overemphasised.
“This progress is evident with Transmedia, ZBC, Zimpapers and the ministry’s own exhibitions. I also toured the refurbished Montrose Studios here in Bulawayo, which now serve as vital hubs for content production and as backup stations to ensure ZBC provides uninterrupted news and material to the public,” said Dr Soda.
He noted that ongoing digitisation efforts, particularly the conversion of analogue archives, would not only improve content quality but also create employment opportunities.
“While we have seen impressive modern equipment, work continues to digitise our analogue archives — a process that will enhance content quality and create significant employment,” he said.
Dr Soda described the 2026 edition of ZITF as a success, underpinned by the strong participation of the media sector.
“This is a progressive and successful ZITF. Beyond informing and entertaining, the media provides a platform for feedback on business performance,” he said.
“However, with the advent of disruptive technologies, the media must also remain a source of truth to ensure the public is not misinformed.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Nick Mangwana, said the exhibition had successfully captured the ministry’s full communication ecosystem.
“The ministry has captured its entire ecosystem perfectly in this exhibition. We superintend over several sub-sectors — including commercial and community broadcasting, print, and electronic media — and all are represented here,” he said.
“By walking through this pavilion, you can clearly see how the ministry positions itself as the spokesperson for both the Government and the country within the NDS2 framework.”
Mr Mangwana said the ministry’s core mandate is to facilitate inclusive and transparent engagement between the Government and citizens.
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“Our primary mandate is to facilitate a two-way communication between the Government and its various publics. A great example of this is the ongoing conversation regarding the Governance and Political Engagement Programme Phase 3 (GPE 3) policy. We are providing a platform for open dialogue where no one is shunned,” he said.
Mr Mangwana dismissed claims of exclusion in public discourse, citing recent engagements as evidence of inclusivity.
“Despite rumours that Professor Lovemore Madhuku had been assaulted or excluded, his presence here as an invited speaker on a ministry platform proves otherwise. We have facilitated a direct conversation between him and the minister responsible for Government business in Parliament. This is what our mandate is all about: fostering transparent, two-way communication between the State and the people,” said Mr Mangwana.
Mr Chikoto said the minister’s visit to the company’s Bulawayo operations provided an opportunity to outline ongoing transformation plans at the branch.
“The minister is here for the trade fair, so we took the opportunity to tour Montrose and get a feel of Chronicle House. We briefed him on the transformation that will be taking place here,” said Mr Chikoto.
He said key developments include infrastructure upgrades and commercialisation initiatives.
“The first is the conversion of the banking hall into real estate that will be rented out, and secondly the newsroom is going to be transformed to replicate the newsroom in Harare,” he said.
Mr Chikoto said the planned changes would modernise operations while preserving the heritage of the building.
“We also informed him that this is a historical building, so we need permission to make some of the alterations. We have made the necessary applications, which is what is delaying us, but we are confident that by the end of this year, this place will be different and modern,” he said.
Mr Chikoto added that the Chronicle complex houses several publications and broadcasting services, including Sunday News, Umthunywa, B-Metro and ZTN, underscoring its strategic role in the country’s media landscape.
The tour highlighted how Zimbabwe’s media institutions are embracing innovation and modernisation, positioning themselves as key enablers of economic connectivity and industrial competitiveness in line with the ZITF 2026 theme.
Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Omphile Marupi, Zimpapers Group Editorial Executive Elias Mambo, Chronicle Editor, Lawson Mabhena, Zimpapers Group Technology Officer, Mr Gorden Verenga, Zimpapers Intake Editor Limukani Ncube, Zimpapers Bulawayo Branch Operations Manager Mr Prosper Dube, and Operations Editor Isaac Waniwa were also part of the tour.
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Being honest, facing reality and living in the truth are agents of development. Let’s be honest, our media industry is still not developed. The reality is the quality of production, the quality of content and the grooming of both the presenters and studio designs still reside in the 80s. The picture quality of all TV channels is atrocious. It looks like people use their mobile phones for production. One just has to look at the picture quality of football matches to confirm this. Content is obnoxious. It’s either we watch people sitting and chatting about religion or some boring stuff using English most of the time or repeats about what the President would have been engaged in. Why do we think talking in English (oftentimes with poor and faked accent) all the time is a sign of being smart? Why do we think that the majority of content, including news, must revolve around the government and the President? It appears these government officials are obligated to mention the name of the President at every turn even where it is not necessary. They have turned into the President’s praise singers. Does he need that? Is it now media policy? Can’t we come out of this childish practice? Can’t we create something more interesting with quality in both product and presentation? There is too much rubbish that is aired daily.