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Radio silence in Zimbabwe: information  gap persists for rural communities

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BY EVIDENCE CHENJERAI

A few minutes before 7 PM on a chilly September evening, Violet Chisango fumbles with the small solar-powered radio she bought 15 years ago.

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After checking that the battery is full, she tunes in to Voice of America’s “Studio 7.”

She has waited all day for the local news on this pirate radio station, beamed 13,000 kilometres to her home in Zimbabwe’s southeastern Masvingo province via a shortwave frequency from the United States.

“‘Studio 7’ is reliable,” she says. “This is where I have been getting information on issues about coronavirus.”

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Without her trusty radio, she would not have learned that vaccines had become available — and gotten her shot last summer.

These evening broadcasts, on the only signal strong enough to reach her home, also keep her family informed about school closures and cyclone warnings; she shares whatever she hears with her neighbors, too.

Chisango is one of millions of Zimbabweans with limited access to news due to a combination of the government’s tight control over broadcasting licenses, inadequate communications and electrical infrastructure, and the high cost needed to amplify the few existing, distant signals.

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This information gap can be life-threatening for rural communities — home to two-thirds of the country’s 15 million people — left in the dark about Covid-19 and the spread of the new omicron variant, natural disasters and other threats.

In Chimanimani, a village in eastern Zimbabwe, Moses Muyambo missed Cyclone Idai broadcast alerts in March 2019 and badly injured his legs when floodwater swept him away.

Determined to keep residents safer in the future, community leaders have been working on plans for a local radio station, which was granted a license earlier this year, says Panganai Chirongera, a town councillor.

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In cities, Zimbabweans with disposable income and stable electricity can get news from a range of national TV and radio stations, satellite channels and internet services.

Satellite technology costs about US$100 for one household, with monthly subscription fees starting at US$$7.

The average urban household earns about US$172 a month, according to a December 2020 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee report.

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In contrast, an April 2020 survey by the committee reported the average rural household earns just US$33 a month.

Access to information is a human right, one that has been denied to the majority of the country, says Noveti Muponora, a legislator for Mount Darwin North, a district 160 kilometers northeast of Harare.

“In my area, they are tuning to Mozambique radio stations or pirate radio stations,” he says, adding that he has continuously appealed to the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, which oversees the country’s airwaves, for the installation of boosters so that Mount Darwin residents can receive TV and radio signals.

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After maintaining tight control over radio and TV broadcasting rights since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe’s government has begun responding to the rising tide of local and global voices advocating for more accessible and affordable sources of news.

The Digital Terrestrial Television Project (known as ZimDigital), working to upgrade Zimbabwe’s broadcasting grid, is 40 percent complete with 18 of 48 TV transmitters updated and five of 25 radio transmitters installed, according to a May report compiled by the government and the United Nations.

The project began in 2015, based on recommendations from the International Telecommunication Union, a U.N. agency specialized in information technologies, and has been allocated US$7.6 million toward completion this year.

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While acknowledging that the project has taken longer than expected, the broadcasting authority’s acting chief executive officer Matthias Chakanyuka expresses confidence that the results will significantly improve information access for rural Zimbabweans.

“The poor reception due to old equipment is currently being addressed through the digitalization project,” he writes, in an email.

“However, the complete switchover is a gradual process.

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“Some areas which did not have television and radio reception have benefited from the digitalisation project.

“The government has made tremendous progress in providing funding towards the completion of the digitalization project.”

Even if broadcast signals could reach every household, however, not all Zimbabweans would be able to listen.

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Less than half of respondents to a 2019 household survey conducted by Unicef and Zimbabwe’s National Statistics Agency reported having a TV or radio in their home; less than one-third reported having internet access on any device.

The cost and scrutiny required for a broadcasting license also has a chilling effect on prospective news sources.

The broadcasting authority application fee for a national radio or TV station’s 10-year license costs US$2,500, followed by a US$7,500 public inquiry fee; the annual renewal fee costs US$15,000 for radio to US$18,000 for TV stations, respectively.

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“Diversity is needed especially during the global coronavirus pandemic, where communities need access to information in a manner they can understand,” says Patience Zirima, director of Media Monitors, an organization that identifies and analyses editorial and advertising trends.

In Zimbabwe, the government has a disproportionate amount of control over broadcasting licenses and station management, according to the 2021 Media Law Handbook for Southern Africa, published by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, a German political research foundation.

“International best practice requires that an independent regulatory authority license broadcasting services and associated frequencies,” the report says, noting that Zimbabwe is among countries that have laws “establishing a public or national broadcaster, but these do not operate as public broadcasters because the boards of all of them are appointed by members of the executive.”

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Critics like John Masuku, executive director of the pirate Radio VOP station based in Bulawayo, the country’s second-largest city, complain that licenses are granted more quickly to applicants with political connections and that rural communities remain underserved.

Still, they agree that the information gap has narrowed in the past decade.

Before 2012, Zimbabwe had only one licensed TV station and four radio stations, all operated by the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

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Today, the country has seven licensed TV stations and 36 radio stations, including six campus radio stations.

After two rejections, Masuku says that Radio VOP has opted to focus on using internet platforms, such as podcasts and social media, but he applauds the ongoing advocacy efforts of other stations and community leaders to expand the public airwaves.

“It took ages,” he says. “But we are happy that it has happened.” – Global Press Journal

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In the community

Crocodile attacks claim 9 lives, injure 11

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A surge in crocodile attacks has left a trail of death and destruction in Zimbabwe, with 9 fatalities and 11 injuries reported in the last two months.

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According to a statement released by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), 49 human-crocodile conflict cases were recorded during the same period, resulting in the loss of 44 cattle and 60 goats.

The Mid-Zambezi region, which includes Lake Kariba, Angwa River, and Hunyani River, was the hardest hit, with 19 cases reported. The Central region recorded 14 cases, while 16 cases were reported in other areas, including Matopo, Harare, North-West Matabeleland, and South-East Low-veld.

ZimParks has urged communities to exercise extreme caution, especially around water bodies, during the current rain season. The authority has advised communities to ensure that livestock and children are not left unattended near rivers or lakes, and to take precautions when engaging in water activities such as fishing, swimming, and domestic chores.

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To mitigate the situation, ZimParks is working closely with local authorities and conservation partners to raise public awareness and promote safety practices. The authority has emphasized its commitment to finding a balance between ensuring public safety and conserving wildlife.

As the situation continues to unfold, ZimParks has appealed to the public to remain vigilant and to report any crocodile sightings or attacks to the authorities.

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Nkayi

Nkayi man sentenced to 20 years for murdering patron

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BY STAFF REPORTER

In a High Court circuit sitting in Hwange, a 23-year-old man from Gwelutshena was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder.

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Mtabisi Ndimande was convicted of killing a 39-year-old man in a brutal axe attack that occurred on August 5, 2024, at DZ Sports Bar in Inyathi.

The court heard that Ndimande had been drinking beer with the deceased when an argument ensued.

Despite intervention from a security guard, Ndimande pulled out an axe and struck the deceased on the head.

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The blow caused the deceased to collapse, while the axe remained embedded in his head. The offender then removed the axe and walked away.

The deceased bled profusely and was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on August 6, 2024.

The police responded to the scene and recovered the axe.

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Hwange

Drugs causing mayhem in Victoria Falls

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The scourge of drugs and substance abuse is tearing families apart in the city of Victoria Falls as young people resort to dangerous substances to cope with mounting economic problems.

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Victoria Falls, like most urban areas in Zimbabwe, is battling against a surge in cases of drugs and substance abuse, which has seen the government launching various programmes to curb the crisis.

Eslina Sibanda, a Mkhosana resident whose son was forced to drop out of college due to drug addiction, narrated her heart-rending ordeal in an interview with NewsHub.

“He was a bright student, but then he started experimenting with mbanje and other substances,” Sibanda said.

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“Before we knew it, he was hooked. We tried to get him help, but it was too late.

“He dropped out of college and he now struggles to find a job.”

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, approximately 750 000 people in Zimbabwe use cannabis, while 150 000 use other illicit drugs.

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The same report noted that 14.6 percent of males and 5.6 percent of females aged between 15 and 65 years engage in hazardous or harmful drinking.

In a dramatic event that gripped Victoria Falls last November, 82 year-old Paul Siangapi was forced to take his son, Wonder, to court after he attempted to stab a family member in a drug-fuelled rage.

Siangapi pleaded with the magistrate to send his 40year-old son to jail for years, saying after the death of his mother, almost a decade ago, he started smoking cannabis (mbanje) and abusing alcohol.

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He said Wonder became abusive even to his grandchildren as a result of drug abuse.

The magistrate subsequently ruled that he must be referred to the Mlondolozi Mental Health Prison in Bulawayo where he is being treated for his addiction together with seven others from Victoria Falls who were facing charges of committing offences under the influence of drugs.

Siangapi told News Hub from his Chinotimba home that his life had become hell on earth because of his son’s drugs problem.

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“He is ok there (in prison),” Siangapi said. “I was always running away from him. He would lock the gate, deprive me of food and, at times, l would sleep in the car outside the gate because of him.”

On 18 February, Information minister, Jenfan Muswere, said the police had arrested 9, 527  people and dismantled 79 illegal drug bases as part of a countrywide crackdown on drug and substance abuse between 1 September 2024 and 31 January 2025.

Muswere told a post-Cabinet briefing that 616 drug suppliers and 8 911 drug users had been arrested during the operation.

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The government has also established three new rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in Victoria Falls, Harare and Kwekwe.

The ministry of Health and Child Care notes that substance abuse is a major contributor to mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and psychosis.

Mental health experts say a combination of factors that include poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education and healthcare drive young people into drugs and substance abuse.

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“Young people are turning to substances as a way to cope with the stress and uncertainty of their lives,” said Silvester Nyoni, a local psychologist. “We need to address the root causes of this crisis, rather than just treating the symptoms.”

Rufaro Nyakwende, a social worker at the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network, said the impact of substance abuse was far-reaching as affected not only individuals, but also families, communities, and the economy.

“Substance abuse is leading to tracking substance use,” Nyakwende said.

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“At the end of the day, people have mental issues such as depression, anxiety, and this leads to interest in another driver of tracking substance use, which is peer pressure. A lot of children experience peer pressure through interactions, observation, learning, and playing.

“People may admire the effects of someone using drugs and end up using those drugs themselves. This is another driver of tracking substance use. When they continue using drugs, it also leads to mental health issues like depression, stress, anxiety, and this is what leads to a high risk of suicide,” added Nyakwende.

She said the community also exerts too much pressure on young people.

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“There’s also the issue of social pressures. The community expects certain things from people,” Nyakwende added.

“For instance, by a certain age, you’re expected to have achieved certain milestones, such as having a proper job and a family.

“But when you fail to meet these expectations, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, which can contribute to higher rates of suicide.”

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The government launched the National Substance Abuse Policy in 2020 as one of the ways to deal with the scourge.

For Nyoni, however, more needs to be done to provide support and resources for those struggling with addiction.

“We need to increase funding for treatment centres, counselling services, and support groups,” he said.

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“We also need to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and provide education and job training programs for young people.”

SOURCE: NEWS HUB

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