The ManicaPost
MONDAY saw the people of Chimanimani gathering at their Village Grounds to witness the handover of community radio station equipment donated by UNESCO.
This was a first for the people of Chimanimani, an area that is still coming to terms with the effects of the devastating Cyclone Idai that ravaged the mountainous district two years back.
Following the unforgettable experiences the people of Chimanimani went through during and after Cyclone Idai, the availability of a community radio station in this part of the country will definitely help the locals in a number of ways.
There is no doubt that the presence of a local radio station will go a long way in enhancing early warning systems against destructive natural phenomenon such as what was experienced during Cyclone Idai.
There is no doubt that awareness of early warning systems was not adequately handled when the tropical storm hit the area and that pointed out to ill-preparedness.
Effective and efficient handling of awareness of early warning systems is a crucial component in disaster preparedness as it ensures minimum loss of property and life.
In ancient times, Africans used drums and other instruments to communicate messages in communities and in this age, it does not need any form of expert to enlighten us on the need of a medium of communication such as a community radio.
Just as Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa aptly pointed out elsewhere in this newspaper, the setting up of a community radio station in Chimanimani, along with other technologies being developed will further strengthen our ability as nation to detect and warn people in advance of such devastating catastrophes.
Furthermore, the provision of a local radio station for the people of Chimanimani has vast business ramifications whose value we cannot afford to underestimate.
Chimanimani is a prime resort area.
Apart from breathtakingly majestic areas such as the Bridal Veil Falls, the mountains in Chimanimani have spectacular ranges, grassy montane plains, rivers and waterfalls, with forest that have a wide array of birds, including endangered species.
Those into birding will attest to the presence of Livingstone’s Turaco, Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler, White-eared Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Grey Cuckooshrike, Square-tailed Drongo, Yellow-streaked and Tiny Greenbul, Orange Ground-thrush, Red-capped and Cape Robin-chat, White-starred Robin, Chirinda Apalis, Roberts’s Warbler, Pale Batis, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Gorgeous, Black-fronted and Olive Bush-shrike, Dark-backed Weaver, African Firefinch among many others.
Rooftop Lodges, Chimanimani Hotel, The Frog and Fern, situated amid the spectacular mountains, Outward Bound Zimbabwe, The Farmhouse, a colonial farmhouse nestled in the hills of Chimanimani, perfect for backpackers, campers and families are all accommodation and campsites service providers that need marketing, both within and beyond Chimanimani.
This amounts to a lot of marketing work that Chimanimani badly needs and the presence of a local radio station will come in handy in making this known to the people of Chimanimani and beyond.
It is crucial to note that the opening of a local radio station in Chimanimani is ample evidence of the progress being made in opening up the media space in this country.
The Second Republic has so far licensed six television stations, 10 commercial radio stations, 14 community radio stations and seven campus radio stations.
This speaks to Government’s tremendous progress in opening up media space, let alone the realigning of legal and regulatory framework with the provisions of the Constitution on the right of citizens to information and expression through the repeal of Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and the enactment, in its place, Freedom of Information Act and the Zimbabwe Media Commission Act.
The management and control of the Covid-19 pandemic also points to the need of having robust communication platforms in our communities.
It is against this background that all progressive citizens will find reason in applauding Government and development parts such as UNESCO for affording the people of Chimanimani, in particular and the entire nation, in general a chance to have their voices heard globally.
