Harare, (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe government will not tolerate media content that undermines national unity or infringes on the rights of others as the country is a constitutional democracy.
Speaking at the launch of the country’s new Media and Communication Policy at State House on Wednesday, President Mnangagwa emphasized that freedom of expression should be balanced with responsible and ethical standards.
“Content that harms our country and fellow citizens has no space in our constitutional democracy. The law and justice system will take its course on all those who infringe on the rights of others on media platforms,” he said.
He called on all Zimbabweans, especially media practitioners, to be guided by the African philosophy of Ubuntu/Hunhu, which emphasizes community values, dignity, and mutual respect, values which should inspire a media culture rooted in ethics and integrity.
The new media policy, President Mnangagwa noted, is a significant step toward ensuring that media freedom is exercised in a manner that promotes national development, cohesion, and the protection of cultural identity.
“This policy is an important cog that must help realize an intricate balance between freedom of expression and the need for content and platform accountability,” he stated.
Highlighting the role of the media in national development, President Mnangagwa applauded the contribution of the sector to mobilizing resources, fostering innovation, and attracting investment as Zimbabwe pushes towards its Vision of becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
“I challenge the media fraternity, along with other stakeholders, to scale up our ongoing quest to shape a positive image of our motherland, Zimbabwe,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said both public and private media are strategic enablers of the country’s development aspirations, praising the new policy as a sign of government commitment to ensuring that Zimbabweans have access to factual, accurate, and reliable information.
“Through this policy, my Government seeks to ensure protection against the significant and ever-looming threats to facts, ethics, diversity and cultural plurality posed by the global tech infrastructure. Our regulatory efforts will therefore support content and platform accountability, and bolster Zimbabwe’s independent content systems,” he said.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to democratize the media space, noting the licensing of 14 community radio stations as part of initiatives to preserve and promote Zimbabwe’s rich heritage and identity.
“Zimbabweans are the custodians of their own stories and narratives. As we implement the Media Policy, let us reclaim and correct the deconstruction and distortion of our story. A truthful, coherent and positive story of Zimbabwe will consolidate our national peace, unity and accelerate our development. The time has come for the world to hear the authentic story of who we are and what we stand for, from our own eyes, from our own mouths, and from our own media,” he said.
New Ziana
