By Staff Reporter
HARARE — NetOne, one of Zimbabwe’s leading telecommunications companies, in its maiden media strategy engagement in 2026, on Tuesday engaged the country’s leading digital publishers, content creators, podcasters and bloggers.
The engagement positioned digital connectivity and data access at the centre of national conversations on access to information, freedom of expression and national development.
Held at Manna Resort in Harare, the engagement marked a strategic shift in how the mobile network operator interfaces with the media, formally recognising online platforms as central players in Zimbabwe’s information ecosystem.
This noble initiative seeks to promote digital inclusivity, narrow the digital divide and strengthen access to information in line with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
The engagement reflected the realities of an evolving media environment in which traditional media houses are no longer the sole drivers of public discourse.
Digital publishers, podcasters, bloggers and social media creators now play a decisive role in shaping public debate, particularly among young people who increasingly consume news and public information online.
Addressing the gathering, permanent secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana situated the engagement within government’s broader digital transformation agenda under NDS2, describing online media platforms as an integral part of Zimbabwe’s present, rather than its future.
“We gather at a defining moment for Zimbabwe’s digital and media landscape.
“Under NDS2, we are charged with a clear mission, to build an inclusive, digitally empowered nation that leaves No One and No Place Behind,” Mangwana said.
He said investment in online media and digital connectivity is closely linked to youth empowerment, national image-building and development communication, adding that NetOne’s engagement with digital publishers and content creators forms part of a broader national project.
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Harare advocacy chairperson Mlondolozi Ndlovu, said access to affordable and reliable data remains central to promoting freedom of expression and freedom of association.
He added that increased connectivity has reshaped Zimbabwe’s information landscape by expanding public participation in socio-economic and civic affairs.
Ndlovu said online media platforms have grown significantly over recent years, complementing mainstream media by increasing plurality, reducing delays in news dissemination and creating space for diverse community voices that were previously excluded from national conversations.
He challenged NetOne to continue investing in affordable data packages, digital literacy programmes and partnerships with online media organisations to ensure that access to information translates into meaningful engagement rather than nominal connectivity.
Speaking on behalf of the Young Journalists Association of Zimbabwe (YOJA), spokesperson Lovejoy Mutongwiza said young journalists are at the centre of the country’s digital media ecosystem, operating influential online platforms built largely on mobile data.
“For young journalists, data isn’t a luxury.
“It is our camera, our printing press, our archive, and our broadcasting signal,” Mutongwiza said.
He said high data costs, uneven network coverage, slow internet speeds and frequent network disruptions continue to undermine the work of young and digital-first journalists, particularly during live reporting and breaking news events.
Mutongwiza said that although Zimbabwe’s internet penetration has increased, expensive and low-quality connectivity still limits access to information and constrains freedom of expression in the digital sphere.
Research and civil society reports have consistently shown that high data prices in Zimbabwe remain a barrier to meaningful internet access, particularly for low-income users, young people and community-based media.
This has effectively restricted participation in public discourse and digital economic opportunities.
Mutongwiza said young journalists are not opposed to government but are committed to truth, accountability, and national development.
He called for the protection of journalists and the recognition of online media as not just a complement, but an integral part of mainstream media in the digital age.
Mutongwiza, in his presentation, also urged further open engagements between the government, telecommunications companies, and all media platforms.
“A democratic society needs journalists who can report freely, praising progress and pointing out challenges.
This is how trust is built,” he said.
NetOne said the engagement forms part of an ongoing process to establish an inclusive and data-sensitive media engagement strategy that supports Zimbabwe’s social, economic and development agenda.
The telecommunications giant said the strategy will prioritise collaboration with online media practitioners and digital content creators to promote access to information and data while supporting national development objectives under Vision 2030 and NDS2.
NetOne’s head of public relations, Richard Mahomva, described data as a strategic resource capable of unlocking the full potential of Zimbabwe’s digital storytellers.
He noted that structured engagement with online media aligns corporate objectives with national development priorities.
Backed by the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, the initiative positions NetOne as a key player in Zimbabwe’s digital transformation.
This comes as the country continues to navigate a media environment where connectivity, access to data and inclusive participation are increasingly central to democratic and economic development.
