Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
MINISTER of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa paid tribute to veteran journalists for laying a solid media foundation through giving accurate information and said young journalists must learn from them.
She said this during an appreciation dinner for veteran journalists at a Bulawayo hotel on Thursday night. In attendance was veteran journalist and freedom fighter Mr Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu, and former ZBC Bureau Chief for Bulawayo Mr Tapfuma Machakaire.
In her address, Minister Mutsvangwa said journalists must learn from the old guard and the doors of her ministry are always open to veteran journalists as their knowledge is needed.
“There is a lot that we can learn from you. I always say there were people before us, there are people with us and there will be people ahead of us. So, you have been there and you know a lot of things, we will always benefit from that institutional memory and please feel free this is the Second Republic, the ministry, the media institutions, we are working as one.
“There is nothing which we will do as a ministry without consulting the stakeholders. Because the President of this country, President ED Mnangagwa talks about not leaving anyone behind. This is our Zimbabwe together, there’s a lot of knowledge out there which will make us a star as a ministry of the Second Republic,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said opening the broadcasting space was a priority as Zimbabwe was lagging behind.
“We are looking forward to giving Zimbabweans the diversity which they require. I think it’s only fair for a country like this one which started having television before many African countries, but there we are lagging behind and we still have one television channel,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
So far, Zimbabwe has six licensed commercial television stations, with 10 community radio station licences issued and 19 campus radio stations also licensed under the Second Republic.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe is endowed with innovative and educated young people who should use their talents in running and producing content for the television and radio stations.
“So, diversity is good, we think of Zimbabweans who have gone to school and are very educated, we have a lot of potential talent which isn’t being nurtured.
Even today the President referred to it. In terms of content development, as the Second Republic we have dished out those six licences in terms of commercial television and also community radio stations, that give an opportunity to all Zimbabweans. That speaks to devolution, this is what we need so that we don’t leave anybody behind. So as a ministry we are happy to work with you, feel free to knock on our doors,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said as the ministry the country needs must help foster unity.
“Our main job is to remove that polarisation within our population. Secondly, to make sure that Zimbabweans are united. It is a pleasure working under President ED Mnangagwa’s Second Republic, because his main job has been to unite all Zimbabweans in the 10 provinces.
We are one Zimbabwe with unity and peace we’ll certainly develop,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said the President was working hard not only on the economic side but on the social side.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Zimbabweans should be proud of monuments such as the Mbuya Nehanda statue as these were reminders of how the country attained independence.
“It is important for Zimbabweans to know that there are people who suffered for us to have the enjoyment of independence that we have today. Mbuya Nehanda even after 40 years, it’s better than nothing. We need to celebrate that. I have spent 12 years in diplomacy and lived in America, there are statues of their heroes and heroines, in the UK, in Brussels, all over the world,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
“In this country you go to Victoria Falls and you find David Livingstone and that doesn’t bring out who we are as Zimbabweans. Mbuya Nehanda was strategic, she wasn’t in the kitchen, in fact, for the women of this country we have to celebrate Cde President ED Mnangagwa for recognising women making sure that at least we’ve got that statue which we have seen being unveiled. We, especially in my case, were in the war, as a female combatant we feel very close to the spirit of Mbuya Nehanda,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
The dinner was attended by the deputy minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Kindness Paradza and the Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana.
Present at the feast were Zimpapers board chairman Mr Tommy Sithole, Zimpapers CEO Mr Pikirayi Deketeke, Zimpapers general manager Mr Marks Shayamano and Ke Yona TV managing director Dr Qhubani Moyo.
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