An informed citizenry is key to achieving Zimbabwe’s vision of becoming an upper-middle-income economy by 2030, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda has said.Newspaper advertising space

Speaking to journalists after touring the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s Pockets Hill studios in Harare yesterday, Dr Soda emphasised the media’s critical role in national development.
The minister said that, as enunciated by President Mnangagwa, no one and no place must be left behind as the country progresses towards its development goals, particularly in terms of access to information.

He said ZBC, being the national broadcaster, had a vital role in ensuring the country is kept up to date with developments.
“ZBC plays a very critical role in informing the public, educating the public, and also entertaining the public.
“And no one must be left behind. As we aspire to realise the vision of becoming an upper-middle-income society, everyone must be in the mainstream national development trajectory. Everybody has to participate, and the only way people can do so is when they are informed and able to make informed choices and decisions,” said Dr Soda.

The Information Minister said Government would ensure the national broadcaster is well equipped to complete its current modernisation trajectory. “What we have seen and taken from the brief given to me by the Chief Executive Officer shows that they are in a phase of migrating from analogue systems to digital systems.
“And ZBC is also endeavouring to reach hard-to-reach areas in terms of signal transmission, which entails deploying more mass transmitters across various regions in the quest to leave no one and no place behind,” he said.
Minister Soda was accompanied by his deputy, Dr Omphile Marupi, Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana, Chief Director Mr Johnathan Gandari, and Director of Media Services Mr George Chisoko.

In his remarks, ZBC Chief Executive Officer Mr Sugar Chagonda said the national broadcaster occupies a unique space in the national ecosystem and remains dedicated to its mandate.

“We are not simply a media house; we are a public trust platform and a strategic national asset. Our mandate extends beyond programming.

“It encompasses national identity formation, democratic participation, cultural preservation, economic dialogue and information equity.

“As the country’s public service broadcaster, we are entrusted to inform, educate and entertain; to promote unity; and to provide a platform for inclusive national discourse that advances Vision 2030 and Zimbabwe’s broader development aspirations,” he said. – The Herald