Responsible media key to achieving upper-middle-income economy: Muswere

MOREBLESSING MARANGE

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr. Jenfan Muswere has urged the media to play an active, responsible, and patriotic role in driving Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 agenda, saying the sector must stand as a pillar of national development, unity, and economic transformation.

Speaking at the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) Annual Media Stakeholders Conference held in Harare yesterday, Dr. Muswere said the media’s influence is central to shaping national identity, promoting investment, and fostering democratic discourse,all of which are key pillars in Zimbabwe’s quest to achieve upper-middle-income status by 2030.

“When we work together, our common goal is one — to achieve an upper-middle-income society by 2030,” he said. “The new media policy is very clear in terms of its objectives and principles. That means the media sector has a shared responsibility to defend the image of Zimbabwe, to promote Zimbabwe as a country, to promote investment, tourism, media diversity, and the strengthening of community in terms of the democratic discourse that currently exists in our country.”

Dr. Muswere emphasized that the media’s role extends beyond news coverage. It must become an enabler of economic confidence and a partner in advancing government reforms aimed at stabilizing and growing the economy.

“For us to be able to achieve an upper-middle-income society, what is the role of the media? Is the media going to support foreign direct investment in our country? Is the media going to help government in terms of our zero-tolerance to corruption?” he asked. “The media must promote Zimbabwe’s project and legacy across the globe.”

The Minister said the government’s media policy aligns with Sections 60 and 61 of the Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression, media freedom, and access to information. These constitutional rights, he said, are being reinforced by the Freedom of Information Act, which aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and participatory governance.

“The policy has very clear goals in terms of the pillars that support the Zimbabwean economy — local content generation, talent management, human capital development, media sovereignty, access to information, digitalization, utilization of artificial intelligence, and information science,” he said. “All these pillars are very important to ensure we achieve digital transformation in the media sector. Our goal as government is to ensure that we leave no one and no place behind as we turn into an upper-middle-income society.”

However, Dr. Muswere warned that the rise of social media has blurred the lines between journalism and opinion-sharing, creating a fertile ground for misinformation and reputational harm.

“Likes and followings have become a business on their own,” he observed. “Unfortunately, some individuals use these platforms irresponsibly to attack reputations and spread falsehoods.”

To address these challenges, Dr. Muswere revealed that the government is developing a Media Practitioners’ Bill aimed at formalizing accreditation and strengthening accountability within the profession. The proposed law will set professional standards for journalists and media houses, requiring proof of qualification, experience, and ethical integrity.

“We are not seeking to suppress media freedom,” he clarified. “We simply believe that accreditation, based on qualifications and experience, will help safeguard journalism as a respected profession — just like medicine or law.”

He further urged journalists to affiliate with recognized professional bodies such as the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) or the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) to promote self-regulation and uphold ethical conduct.

“As the government, we believe media practitioners must be accredited and belong to a professional association,” he said. “That is the only way we can protect journalism as a professional sector.”

Dr. Muswere also underscored the importance of local content creation and investment in digital infrastructure to strengthen Zimbabwe’s media sovereignty, reduce dependence on foreign narratives, and ensure citizens access credible, locally produced information.

AB Communications Group Managing Director Engineer Jeremiah Munembe, who also addressed the conference, called on local newsrooms to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as a strategic tool to enhance newsroom efficiency and competitiveness in the digital era.

Engineer Munembe said integrating AI into journalism will help improve-” creativity, and audience engagement, positioning Zimbabwe’s media industry to keep pace with global technological trends.