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Herald Reporter

INFORMATION, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, yesterday toured the state-of-the-art media centre at the iconic new Parliament building as part of Government’s commitment to ensure there is heritage-based broadcasting.

The tour was also part of the Ministry’s assessment on the preparedness of the country to provide the best information dissemination centre during the Sadc Summit, which Zimbabwe will host in August this year.

Dr Muswere, who was accompanied by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana, toured the media centre, studios and press conference rooms at the New Parliament Building.

In an interview after the tour, Dr Muswere said they wanted to ensure the media centre reflected the country’s heritage-based values.

“Our visit is focused on the preparatory work that we are supposed to do in terms of budgetary processes, wherein we have committed as a Ministry to be able to develop media centres and studios working together, collaboratively with Parliament of Zimbabwe as part of our responsibility as a Ministry to inform, educate and entertain the people of Zimbabwe,” said Dr Muswere. 

Dr Muswere (centre) speaks to the media accompanied by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Mr Nick Mangwana (right) and the director of media services in the Ministry Mr George Chisoko at the new Parliament Building yesterday.

“At the same time, this also coincides with the preparations around the Sadc Summit we are hosting as a country. The preparatory meeting includes the familiarisation tour to appreciate the current state of the media studios we have at the New Parliament building and what needs to be done. 

“We have done the first analysis; we are now looking at the redesigning in order to reflect heritage-based broadcasting, which should reflect Zimbabwe as a country, the richness in terms of the flora and fauna, the infrastructure projects and Vision 2030. 

“It’s a preparatory meeting to know and quantify the requirements of the media centre.”

Dr Muswere added that they had already started processes to link broadcasting technologies in different centres such as Parliament, conference centres at hotels, with that of the national broadcaster.

“We will be able to supply all the equipment and the necessary accessories that are required for the Sadc Summit, but primarily this is part of our obligation to be able to provide the requisite infrastructure and accessories in order to have full coverage of all parliamentary proceedings in Zimbabwe. 

“We are obliged to work together with Parliament of Zimbabwe to achieve that,” he said.

Zimbabwe is set to host the Sadc Summit to be attended by Heads of State and Government in the region.

The country is expected to assume the chairmanship of the regional bloc for the next 12 months upon its assumption.