Good times beckon for Zim: Mutsvangwa

terrain — are catered for. RB: New Ziana’s current state is a cause for concern. Does the Government have any plans to resuscitate it and when? MM: You are aware that Cabinet has recommended that New Ziana be considered for restructuring as an ordinary Government department. That recommendation was made under Government’s initiative of restructuring Government parastatals with a view to firstly, reduce their dependency on the fiscus and secondly, ensuring that they are viable and self-sustaining in the medium to long-term while efficiently and effectively delivering their mandates. In view of the Cabinet’s decision and the fact that we have a completely new top management team in the Ministry, we intend to seriously analyse New Ziana, review its mandate and determine the way forward considering submissions from the institution itself. We expect serious discussions of the parastatal’s future and tentative final decisions to be made at the Ministry’s pending planning workshop. Meanwhile, the situation is that New Ziana operates as a fully government-owned private company and presently it is in the news business employing media practitioners whose remuneration will have to remain competitive to other media organisations. In the face of dramatic changes in the delivery of ordinary news and information under the dictates of revolutionary ICTs, New Ziana has opportunities to take advantage of delivering its mandate. Perhaps contrary to transforming the institution into a fully-fledged government department what it lacks and needs is an astute and professional board of directors, which it has not had since 2015,to guide the institution. It also needs a competent management team that fully appreciates the goings on in the ICT world, social media, and the convergence of news platforms as well as technologies driving the convergence in the delivery of news, and even to the most remote rural areas. RB: The welfare of journalists remains a cause for concern. Paltry salaries, poor working conditions, sexual harassment of female journalists and cronyism, are among a coterie of issues affecting their performance and quality of journalism in Zimbabwe. What should journalists expect in the new political dispensation? MM: I am reliably informed that most of the concerns you highlighted were raised during the IMPI process. As indicated earlier we will be prioritising the completion of the IMPI process with a view to ensuring the adoption of all positive recommendations therein contained by way of developing industry-wide policies and recommendations. The 2030 upper middle income vision which Zimbabwe is embarking on is in essence a call to citizens to work towards the enhancement of their socio-economic welfare and full enjoyment of constitutionality guaranteed rights. Women journalists, as professionals are expected to stand up against sexual harassment at the work place. They are expected to take the lead in firstly, demonstrating that women are equal to their male workmates, and secondly, in exposing any malpractices and corruption in their media organisations. It is every journalist’s responsibility to fight for gender parity. It is the responsibility of every stakeholder in the media industry to adhere to our Zimbabwean constitution pertaining to gender parity.

RB: What vision do you have for

the ministry? MM: The vision for the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services is to be the lead information agency that shapes public opinion and entertainment in defence and promotion of Zimbabwe and its interests. However, under my watch, my vision is to see the Ministry in the new dispensation and Second Republic of Zimbabwe become the hub in rebranding Zimbabwe from the pariah state it was in the old dispensation, to being a free society whose citizens enjoy their human rights to the fullest, characterised by free flow of information, a member state of the international community that contributes positively to the development of the region and the world; while being a favourable destination for foreign investment. This vision will see the Ministry being a critical player in the realisation of the President’s Vision 2030 of an upper middle income Zimbabwe. RB: If you were to write your own book about your personal achievements, academic qualifications and your narrative in the war, what would you include? Who is Hon Monica Mutsvangwa your values, dreams and aspirations? MM: Monica Mutsvangwa (nee Parirenyatwa) was born in Mutare. After witnessing and experiencing the political and socio-economic injustices that blacks were facing during the British colonial regime, I left Mutambara High School as a teenager to join the liberation struggle. After independence in November 1980, my husband Chris Mutsvangwa and I were the first diplomats of Zimbabwe to be posted to Brussels, Belgium. I hold a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from New York University and Masters in Business Administration from Rutgers University, New Jersey America. In 2008, I was elected Senator for Chimanimani, a position I currently hold. As a woman politician, I am proud, and feel greatly honoured to be the vice president of the Sadc Parliamentary Forum and chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. It is my hope to inspire fellow women to also venture into politics and other perceived male dominated sectors. Prior to my appointment to the post of Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services; I was Manicaland’s Minister of State for Provincial Affairs. I have in the past served as Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, as Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting before being appointed Deputy Minister of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion. My values embrace honesty, transparency and sincerity. I aspire to see a united Zimbabwe, citizens coming together to rebuild our nation regardless of their political affiliation, religion, race or gender. I also aspire to see Zimbabwe fully re-engaging with the international community and I dream of a sanctions-free Zimbabwe. I am a mother of four lovely sons and a grandmother of two. RB: What is your message to all Zimbabweans, who are eager to see the country moving ahead? MM: Let us all embrace the President’s mantra — “Zimbabwe is open for business” — as our national rallying point for building an affluent poverty-free Zimbabwean. Let us no longer be engrossed by politics but rather by business and economics in order to make our economy work. It is also incumbent upon every one of us to expose corruption and bring its perpetrators to shame.