National interest first, drive national development agenda, Mnangagwa rallies media

Zimbabwean media, irrespective of ownership, should put national interests at the top of its reporting, champion nation building and promote development to help the country achieve Vision 2030, President Mnangagwa said at the Great Zimbabwe University’s 14th graduation ceremony last Friday.

Both privately-owned and public media should foster oneness and preach the gospel of development to rally the nation towards Vision 2030.

His appeal comes after last Thursday’s swearing in of new members of the Zimbabwe Media Commission at State House by the President. He urged the new commissioners to hit the ground running and help drive the country’s development agenda.

“Yesterday, I was pleased to preside over the swearing in of the Zimbabwe Media Commission. It is my fervent expectation that the newly sworn-in commissioners will ensure that our media fraternity shifts their paradigm to give supremacy to our national interest, identity and pride,” said President Mnangagwa.

“Our media, regardless of ownership, must be a vehicle that gives impetus and momentum to our national development agenda as we accelerate achievement of Vision 2030 and entrench constitutionalism, democracy and rule of law.

“All types of media should play their part in nation building, and the inculcation of unity, love and honest hard work.”

He singled out Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) for being the first university in the country to establish a campus radio station.

GZU launched its campus radio, now affectionately known as, “the Varsity Voice of Choice”, a few months ago after successfully applying for a broadcasting licence from Government, through the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe.

The radio station has been a hit with people in the city of Masvingo while its listenership in Mashava and Chiredzi is growing fast after it spread its coverage to the two places recently.

President Mnangagwa urged other universities to take a leaf from the GZU as the canpus radio was not only handy in virtual learning by students, but was also promoting community development.

GZU Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo said besides being a laboratory for practical learning for students to produce quality graduates in journalism and broadcasting training, the campus radio was also a strategic business unit being run commercially to boost the university’s revenue streams.

-Herald