Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere has challenged Zimpapers’ senior management to ensure the media giant returns to profitability by June next year.
He made the remarks while officiating at the Zimpapers 2025 Strategic Planning Workshop.
The workshop was attended by Zimpapers’ board chairperson, Mrs Doreen Sibanda, board members, chief executive officer Mr William Chikoto, and other senior officials.
In his address, Dr Muswere emphasised the Government’s expectations as the primary shareholder.
“What I want to assure you is that, as a ministry, we want efficiency. We want profitability; as shareholders, it is our expectation. Where we are doing well in terms of radio, why don’t we expand more into radio? We have to look at the market and intelligence. Where we are doing well at The Herald and The Sunday Mail, why don’t we revisit the business model and expand on that?
“Where we are also doing well as Natprint, the market is there; the numbers are promising, but there is no capital expenditure in order to procure new machines. The market is there… But we are not focusing there. We are investing where we are not getting any return on investment,” he said.
He said from the presentations that had been made, it was very clear that Natprint has potential and a secure market.
“If we put in US$3 million, the return on investment can be achieved within a period of three years. Why don’t we expand more on that business model?
“Do more market analysis, and we will expand in that particular area and get guarantees. The National Venture Capital Fund is now being coordinated by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, and the Ministry of Industry,” Dr Muswere added.
“The resources are there, and we want the board of directors and management to think about that so that we can strategically deploy the resources where there is a return on investment,” Dr Muswere added.
He also called for an urgent need for a strategic overhaul in light of the ongoing digital transformation within Zimpapers, the country’s biggest media group.
Dr Muswere commended the digital transformation taking place at the media house.
Recognising the potential for growth and profitability by mid-2026, Dr Muswere advocated for the redeployment of personnel to optimise resources and enhance revenue streams, particularly focusing on the struggling Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN).
Dr Muswere noted that Zimpapers has the right and experienced human resources personnel, adding that as the organisation enters the digital era, there is a need for the re-deployment of people to the right areas.
“We just have to deploy investment where there is a return on investment. By July 2026, Zimpapers must be operating profitably, and it starts now. Where there are gaps, send people for training,” said the Minister.
Dr Muswere noted that while ZTN is making losses, there is huge potential for generating more revenue from Natprint, Zimpapers’ printing and packaging arm, as there is a secure market for their products.
“We have invested more than US$13 million in ZTN, and we need a return on that investment. It is unbelievable that US$13 million was sunk into ZTN when the work done at ZBC Montrose Studios did not cost US$1 million. So a forensic audit will reveal how that money was spent at ZTN and where there were leakages.
“There is a need to relaunch ZTN. There is no need to downsize ZTN, but the redeployment of human resources to other areas becomes crucial,” said Dr Muswere.
“Why not revisit business units that are doing well and redeploy workers from ZTN? The cost structure is too heavy. Reassess it, but don’t fire anyone. People need their jobs, so just redeploy people to the right areas.
“Every contribution should help us emerge stronger. Now we need a turnaround strategy for Zimpapers. This strategy should energise our thoughts.
“The evolution from print to other areas was good. But for this to work, the organisation’s leadership has to be firm and avoid being overly sentimental,” said the Minister.
In response, Zimpapers’ board chairperson Mrs Doreen Sibanda committed to developing a turnaround strategy for 2026 that will enable the company to perform at maximum standards and to make full use of the available resources, especially human resources and available technology.
Echoing this sentiment, Mr Chikoto confirmed that the strategies being formulated were specifically aimed at achieving the shareholders’ mandate for profitability by June next year.
He acknowledged challenges in the commercial printing department due to machinery downtime and plans to invest in new equipment for Natprint, alongside reviewing ZTN’s operations to steer it toward profitability.
“We have been meeting to review the strategies that we had for 2025, to look at where we succeeded and where we failed. It was kind of a diagnosis, that’s what we did yesterday (Thursday). So today (yesterday) we are now looking at specific strategies for each of the divisions for 2026.
“We have also reviewed the operations of ZTN and we will be tweaking it here and there. The mandate that we had from the shareholders and the board is that Zimpapers must return to profitability by June next year. So the strategy that we are coming up with will help us achieve that.”
