Community radios and a beautiful dance in Chimanimani
Staff Reporter
Community radios are platforms where the beautiful Zimbabwean story can be told and occupy centre stage, writes Pretty Manyewe.
Last week, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa and her Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana danced beautifully last week.
They were in Chimanimani celebrating the launch of Chimanimani Fm.
The dance, which also saw Chimanimani East Parliamentarian Joshua Sacco joining in on the dance was in many ways symbolic.
Chimanimani deserves some joy, no one needs to be reminded in detail they sorrow Cyclone Idai brought to the community, 413 kilometres East of Harare.
The congregation of the people in Chimanimani, under happy circumstances, has multiple meanings, as a step towards the healing of the community.
So, this warrants the dance.
The import of the dance was not to only celebrate the start of the radio, but yet another success story in the opening of airwaves.
Community Radios were in the past a contested space, where activists were apprehensive towards Government.
Organisations like ZACRAS, were in the past antagonistic towards Government have softened their stance.
Of late, they have seen through the good intentions of the Second Republic in ensuring that communities have platforms which prioritise issues that are unique to those communities.
The launch comes a few months after the launch of Avuxeni FM in Chiredzi and Inyangani FM in Nyanga, another move which shows that the Government has remained people-centric and placed the interests of the majority at the heart of the development agenda.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Mutsvangwa said everyone in the country has the right to access relevant information.
“The setting up of Chimanimani FM is a vivid testimony of the Second Republic’s commitment to bringing radio to the remotest and marginalized parts of the country. This a key milestone that is in line with His Excellency, President ED Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind as we strive towards Vision 2030. It also resonates with part of my Ministry’s vision to ensure and enhance universal access to information for all,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said what makes community radio special is that they do not carry content with potential to divide people, for instance politics.
“We are happy as Government that communities continue to be empowered and apart from informing, radio is there to educate and entertain. However, let me hasten to remind you that community radio stations should not meddle in politics as that will be violation of their conditions of being awarded a licence. They should focus on issues and matters that affect their communities. Community radio stations must stay within their mandate.”
“Like other community radio stations around the country, the programming and broadcasting should mainly be in the local languages, zvichireva kuti icho chedu chi Ndau ichocho ndicho chatinoda kunyanya kunzwa pa radio yedu iyi. It is binding upon us as a community to take ownership of this station so that it can thrive to our own benefit,” said Minister Mutsvangwa
Community radios are expected to broadcast programs that focus on early child marriages, substance abuse among the youth, domestic violence, dissemination of Government policies, promotion of languages and culture among may other areas of interest.
They are meant to carry stories that may not earn space on national platforms, but are of high importance in communities.
The death of a local high school headmaster may not make national news, but in the specific area in which the school exists that can make the news bulletin on community radios.
Footage of Minister Mutsvangwa and Secretary Mangwana dancing has gone viral online.
It represents more than what the video can capture, it was a celebration of a policy breakthrough – communities are finding their voices through localized radio stations.
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