Zimbabwe’s information minister calls for accurate reporting as nation gears for election

Zimbabwe’s Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has challenged the media to ensure the free flow of accurate information as the nation gears up for the 2023 harmonized election.

She said as the window of society, the media has a role that cannot be ignored with regard to national development.

“Information is power, and what the media does in this country is very fundamental to the growth of the economy, to the unity of people, because it is when people understand who they are, they understand their history, they understand where they are, so that they can chat the right way forward,” Mutsvangwa told the media during a tour of the Journalism Department at the Harare Polytechnic College in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, Monday.

As the nation heads toward a plebiscite, it is important that the media reports from a position of knowledge, she said. “We are now going towards general elections, and it’s important for our people to vote from a position of information.”

The electoral body, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), has yet to announce the exact date for the vote, but it has revealed that elections will take place this year.

Zimbabwe holds harmonized elections after a five-year cycle to elect the president, members of parliament and local authorities.

Mutsvangwa said the government has taken various strides in a quest to promote access to information through the licensing of new players in the form of commercial television, and commercial and community radio stations.

“This is why we continue to issue licenses for community radio stations, commercial TV stations — this is to make sure that there is universal access to information for all,” said Mutsvangwa.

In addition, she said it is important for the local media to own the narrative and tell the Zimbabwean story without misinforming the public. “It is important to feed our people with our own content. Nobody can talk about Zimbabwe except us Zimbabweans, so we are happy with the work the media is doing,” said Mutsvangwa.

She added the government has taken various measures to ensure that journalists receive adequate training to ensure that the country produces quality media practitioners. Enditem