Online Reporter
Chivi Central Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs, Security Services and War Veterans Affairs, Exevia Maoneke, has made a strong call for the urgent capitalisation of the national broadcaster, ZBC-TV.
Speaking as the session chairperson during an afternoon plenary on Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services at the recent 2027 Parliament of Zimbabwe National Pre-Budget Seminar at the ZITF Grounds in Bulawayo, Hon Maoneke steered critical deliberations on robust fiscal interventions required to revitalise the broadcasting sector.
He underscored the immediate necessity of a targeted capital expenditure injection to modernise the national broadcaster’s technical infrastructure, specifically focusing on high-definition (HD) signal upgrades to enhance viewer retention and audience satisfaction.
“We must realistically assess our current capabilities and acknowledge that the national broadcaster needs to drastically up its game,” Hon Maoneke said during the plenary.
“For ZBC-TV to effectively push the national narrative and project an untainted image of Brand Zimbabwe, its picture and broadcast quality must compete seamlessly with global peers on the international scene. We cannot champion a competitive national identity using outdated infrastructure.”
Leveraging his oversight expertise in national security, Hon Maoneke sustained a strong policy argument for a sustainably funded public broadcaster as a foundational cornerstone of national sovereignty, explicitly warning of the asymmetric threats posed by digital advancement.
“We are living in an unprecedented era heavily disrupted by borderless social media networks and generative AI content,” he said
“Incapacitation of the national broadcaster is no longer just a technical deficiency; it has morphed into a national security threat. In the face of deep fakes, coordinated misinformation and AI-generated narratives designed to destabilise our social fabric, an underfunded broadcaster leaves our information borders completely porous.”
Hon Maoneke challenged lawmakers to look at the economic ramifications of neglecting public media, linking it directly to the country’s economic diplomacy and international relations.
“If we do not structurally and financially capacitate our national broadcaster, who is going to tell our true Zimbabwean story to investors and tourists?” he asked.
“We cannot rely on foreign entities or algorithms to market our investment potential or defend our heritage. Adequate budgetary allocation is paramount to unlocking institutional capacity, ensuring seamless public service delivery and fostering a sustainable, highly viable media and creative arts ecosystem.”
While strongly lobbying for increased fiscal funding, Hon Maoneke thanked Treasury for previous infrastructure lifelines.
He thanked the Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube, for the support already rendered to ZBC, which has progressively improved broadcasting coverage across the country and sustained the ongoing digital migration programme.
The 2027 National Pre-Budget Seminar, held under the theme “Accelerating Economic Transformation and Building Resilience to Climate and Global Shocks,” provideds a critical platform for lawmakers to assess sectoral funding needs and realign resource allocation ahead of the upcoming fiscal year.
