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Raymond Jaravaza, Bulawayo Bureau

ZIMBABWE requires ZiG4 billion to fully implement the second phase of its digital migration project, known as Zim Digital, which is now nine years behind schedule, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said yesterday.

Speaking at the pre-Budget seminar for the 2025 National Budget in Bulawayo, which is running under the theme: “Building Resilience for Sustained Economic Transformation,” Dr Muswere urged Treasury to expedite the project’s funding.

He highlighted that the modernisation of transmitters, equipment, and infrastructure was crucial to ensure national coverage – starting with the border areas – within the next two years.

“Our national objective is to ensure that no one and no place is left behind. Government will soon launch the Zim Digital phase two to make sure that the whole country is covered and in terms of budget utilisation we were allocated $194 million for the year 2024 and we have already utilised 97 percent of the $194 million,” said Dr Muswere.

“But in terms of budgetary releases, only 50 percent has been released to the ministry, and for us to be able to have a participatory, informed, and knowledgeable society as we journey towards an upper-middle-class society, we need to implement the Zim Digital phase two project.

“The grant total in terms of the requirements is $4 billion, and the finance envelope is around $221 million, leaving a finance gap of 95 percent,” he said. Dr Muswere said the Zim Digital phase two project is critical for Zimbabwe’s journey toward becoming an upper-middle-income society by 2030.

The Zim Digital phase two project, set to be launched soon, will focus on ensuring nationwide access to radio and television broadcasting services.

This initiative aligns with global standards set by the International Telecommunication Union, which in 2006 mandated that countries switch from analogue to digital broadcasting. Zimbabwe, however, is about nine years behind in meeting this target.

Concerns have been raised over limited coverage in remote areas, particularly in districts such as Bulilima in Matabeleland South Province, where residents rely on foreign radio and television stations.

Dr Muswere emphasised the urgency of closing this gap. The minister said his ministry plays a critical role of informing and educating the nation in a bid to drive and achieve Vision 2030.

He noted that there are still many areas in Zimbabwe with no access to television or radio.

“This is leaving a lot of Zimbabweans behind contrary to the policy of leaving no one or no place behind,” he said.

The minister also reiterated the importance of digital broadcasting infrastructure for achieving Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, which envisions the country as a fully developed and modern society.

His ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, has already developed a Digital Infrastructure Master Plan to guide the project’s implementation.

Dr Muswere stressed the importance of revitalising ZBC studios and upgrading infrastructure across the country to ensure the full rollout of digital broadcasting services.

“In 2006, the International Telecommunications Union decided that all countries must move from analogue to digital and we are roughly nine years behind in terms of the full digitalisation project. We need to revamp the ZBC (Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation) studios and do a lot of work in constructing transmitters across the country and all the related infrastructure,” said Dr Muswere.

Despite Government’s commitment, the digital migration project has faced significant challenges since its inception in 2015. Funding shortages and the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the installation of transmitters, slowing progress. However, the project is now 40 percent complete, with 18 transmitters installed to date.

The Kamativi digital transmitter site, is one of the critical pieces of infrastructure that the Government is working to complete. Earlier this year, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Media, and Broadcasting Services visited the Kamativi site as part of its oversight role in monitoring the digital migration initiative.