The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube in Binga
INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has called on Zimbabweans to use information as a tool to foster unity and development than abuse it to denigrate each other.
Speaking while handing 17 radio receiver devices to Binga District chiefs during a tour of Manjolo transmitter yesterday, Minister Mutsvangwa said there is no need to abuse information for purging each other in the Second Republic.
She said access to information brings unity, stability and development as she appealed to citizens to embrace each other.
“I am here as a spokesperson and my role is to give a message of hope and unity so that we move forward in love. Elections have come and gone and now we have to focus on the economy and show the world that we are united,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
“We have brought a radio for each chief so that information comes to them and cascades to the whole community. The radios will help you listen to His Excellency when he speaks to the nation and make sure you are not exposed to lies and destabilising information,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said access to information is key to unite citizens, which she said is the mandate of the servant leadership of the Second Republic.
“We chose to come to Matabeleland North because the President’s vision is that we should listen to people and make sure everyone gets information. We are a listening Government hence it’s our mandate that every one of you gets that information,” said the Minister.
She said Binga is one of the most important districts to the country because of its role in the war. Most parts of Binga have no access to local radio and TV and rely on broadcasting from neighbouring Zambia, but all is set to change with the Government rolling out a digitisation programme countrywide with transmitters being installed.
The traditional leadership appreciated the Government’s gesture, with Binga District Administrator Mrs Lydia Ndethi-Banda saying: “This is the best Christmas present and thank you for bringing Binga to Zimbabwe.”
Four new transmitters are being built in Matabeleland North namely Hwange, Manjolo, Nkayi and Tsholotsho. There are three existing ones namely Chidobe near Victoria Falls, Kamativi and Kenmaur in Lupane. The Government started the digitisation programme two years ago with upgrading of 24 existing boosters and building of 24 news ones in a bid to migrate from analogue to digital transformation around the country. The minister was accompanied by her deputy, Cde Energy Mutodi and Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana as well as Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) and Transmedia engineers.
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