Online Reporter
Alexander Madanha Rusero
ON May 28, 2025, President Mnangagwa launched the inaugural Zimbabwe Media Policy — a first of its kind ever since Zimbabwe attained independence in 1980.
The policy came at the right time regarding the ongoing media reform agenda being spearheaded by the Government under the auspices of the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, under the stewardship of Dr Jenfan Muswere.
Zimbabwe’s media operating environment has largely been caught up in the tumultuous politics of yesteryears that resulted in binary characterisation of citizens as either being pro-Zanu-PF or being pro-MDC, and, in some instances, characterised in their circles as either friend or enemies.
This approach was not helpful in morphing collective responsibility and forging the Zimbabwean project, which for most of the time became elusive.
Media was also complicit in fuelling enmity among citizens, as battlelines were drawn between the public and private media.
The public media made no apology in being pro-Government in its reportage and vehemently defended the Government position at both domestic and international fora.
The private media behaved merely as an extension of the opposition, and for most of the time sharp eyes were required to distinguish between a banner at an opposition rally and a private newspaper headline.
The rest is history.
Such polarity was not helpful as it fuelled enmity and civil strife among the Zimbabwean citizenry, who were otherwise supposed to differ on ideas as opposed to becoming sworn enemies based on the engineered media phobias.
The media plays a crucial role in society as it remains a viable conduit that connects authentic information from one locality to the next.
Media information is held with high societal esteem because of the due diligence, ethics, and responsibility expected of journalists as they partake in their professional obligation of disseminating information and news.
It is for this reason that the inaugural launch of the information policy has come at a better time of Zimbabwe’s pursuit in finding each other and working together for the attainment of Zimbabweaness.
As such, a media policy seeking to harness Zimbabwean values and bridging the polarity and toxicity once churned by all media from across the divide ought to be embraced, cherished and celebrated.
This does not take away the much-needed scrutiny required of a policy, including constructive criticism aimed at strengthening it.
The highest office of the land also acknowledges the criticality of the media in the attainment of Zimbabwe’s developmental trajectory.
In his foreword to the policy document, President Mnangagwa acknowledges the role of the media in fulfilling Zimbabwe’s democratic ideals.
“The Transitional Stabilisation Programme (STP) laid the groundwork for a transformative media reform agenda aimed at creating a national media landscape that is responsive to the needs and aspirations of the Zimbabwean people.
“As we advance with our national development strategies, we are tasked with deepening and completing these reforms, ensuring that our media sector plays a decisive role in enhancing our democratic ideals and articulating the rich tapestry of values that define us as a people.
“A vibrant and accessible media sector is essential for unity and cohesion among our citizens. It empowers Zimbabweans to share their stories, perspectives and experiences, thereby fostering a sense of ownership over our national narrative.
“This vision for our media landscape necessitates the integration of various components, including investment; development; storage; retrieval; collection; and distribution of media products into a cohesive and dynamic industry,” avers the President.
Based on President Mnangagwa’s observation above, Zimbabwe’s Media Policy framework is expected to foster unity and cohesion among Zimbabweans, and in the process, empower them to own the national narrative.
Between 2000 and 2008, Zimbabwe’s social, political, economic, technological, and cultural infrastructure underwent a virulent veritable economic meltdown that left the country on the verge of collapse.
The net cost emerging from that turbulence was a Zimbabwean narrative that was sadly not churned and owned from within Zimbabwe. This resulted in mutual demonisation of the Zimbabwean state that was to a greater extent punctuated by misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and hoaxes of the Zimbabwean story.
Narrative forms the core of national developmental aspirations of any given state. There is no state that can develop when there is no collective citizenry ownership of its narrative and story.
The essence of strategic communication, which is key for the national security and stability of a state, is a narrative that rallies behind the country’s cause beyond citizens’ idiosyncrasies.
The Zimbabwe Media Policy brings a sigh of relief and hope as it seeks to embark on a grand national project of reclaiming Zimbabwe’s narrative, which has been stolen since 1890 when Cecil John Rhodes mischievously manipulated and conquered this country.
This crucial task is only possible if we all realise that the media is a consciousness industry, which morphs the national psyche of any particular state. The man on the driving seat of the Zimbabwe Media Policy framework, Dr Muswere, is alive to this reality.
He rightly points out in the preface of the policy document:
“The mission is to shape a lasting national consciousness that defends, upholds, and promotes Zimbabwe’s founding values, identity, and interests worldwide through a modern, diverse, and participatory media industry.”
Diversity is key in reclaiming the national narrative. Diversity does not entail discord, disharmony and disunity, but rather an exhibition that we are a country of diverse cultural values that build a collective identity. It is this identity that the Zimbabwe Media Policy is reclaiming, as we move towards becoming Zimbabwean again.
λ Dr Alexander Madanha Rusero is a decolonial International Politics and Media scholar based in Mutare, Zimbabwe.
