Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe in BEIJING, China
ACCESS to information is fundamental to building national cohesion and accelerating development as the Second Republic works towards achieving 100 percent radio and television coverage by 2030, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Zhemu Soda has said.
Speaking at Zimbabwe House in Beijing during a recent interactive engagement with a cross-section of the diaspora community, which was also attended by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to China Abigail Shonhiwa, Dr Soda outlined Government’s commitment to closing the information gap, particularly in marginalised communities, under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
“In the spirit of leaving no one and no place behind, we are aware that some communities are currently left behind because they don’t have access to information. So, our aim within the National Development Strategy 2, is to provide total radio and television access,” Dr Soda said.
He said radio licence fees are now being strategically channelled into developing the broadcasting sector, funding critical infrastructure upgrades and the establishment of new community radio stations.
“We had a programme that was commenced by the First Republic called Zim Digital and it was meant to last two years and end around 2017-2018. Its aim was digital transformation in the broadcasting sector. But we have been lacking in transforming our digital landscape and the programme required a lot of money in the excess of US$25 million.
“We are now in 2026 and technology has advanced. We did not mobilise adequate resources through fiscal provisions. Therefore, to raise funds we saw it fit that if we do it through radio licences, that would help but it will not stay forever, it is for a short period,” said the minister.
Dr Soda noted that significant progress has already been made in upgrading transmission infrastructure.
“We have changed so many signal transmitters. Our radio reception is around 81 percent and by end of this year we are targeting 86 percent and 100 percent by 2030,” he said.
On community radio expansion, Dr Soda said: “Apart from that, we are setting up community radio stations and we are targeting 18 stations by end of the year and 17 more have been approved.”
He further explained how funds collected from radio licences are being utilised.
“That’s how those funds raised from radio licences are deployed to procurement of equipment and capacitating communities that would be operating the stations.”
Minister Soda underscored the broader national vision underpinning the initiative.
“When people have access to radio stations that builds national coherency and increases national development.”
It was recently reported that a total of US$13.6 million collected from radio licensing fees in the first half of 2025 was channelled towards expanding Zimbabwe’s broadcasting infrastructure and improving signal reach across the country.
Revenue from ZBC radio fees is being directed towards enhancing public radio access through the expansion of terrestrial infrastructure via Transmedia and advancing Zim Digital Phase 2 to improve signal coverage.
The funds are also supporting community radio stations under the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) and provincial content hubs under the Zimbabwe Film and Television School of Southern Africa (ZIFTESSA).
derick.khumalo