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of Media, Information and Publicity Webster Shamu, said yesterday. He made the remarks after a tour of AB Communications’ ZiFM Stereo station in Harare.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity, Mr George Charamba and other media practitioners also toured the station.
“Imperialists are using the weakness of pirate radio stations to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle. All pirate radio stations are operated by enemies of this country and all those employed by them are being used to go against their parents who brought about the independence we have.”
“They will never win the war against Zimbabweans. We advise all those employed by them wherever they are to come back home in a proper channel than to continue peddling foreign policies, which will never succeed,” Cde Shamu said.
He commended AB Communications chief executive officer, Mr Supa Mandiwanzira, for repatriating some of the country’s most experienced producers from the diaspora who include former soccer ace Alois Bunjira and music producer Delani Makhalima.
“All those based in the diaspora must rethink and come back to work for their country. Zimbabwe has abundant talent vital in the broadcasting industry and it is underutilised in the diaspora.”
“It serves no purpose to continue working in a foreign land when one can work for his own good in the motherland. Government really supports the initiative and it is a journey we are all prepared to continue with.”
“This is a journey we started and we will never go back or leap in a directionless manner. One needs to have a constructive agenda and enjoy the priviledges we were deprived of during the liberation struggle by the Ian Smith regime,” he said.
Mr Mandiwanzira said their aim is to stop Zimbabweans from using pirate radio stations as platforms of debating.
“We are going to introduce constructive debates, which will be aired in a more responsible way to the young generation. The policy will be to provide balanced, timely and accurate coverage of issues in the best interest of the nation,” said Mr Mandiwanzira.
He said his station will be broadcasting live worldwide starting tomorrow. He said AB Communications has secured a licence with BAZ for live streaming on the Internet.
Online Reporter