Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
PEOPLE in Binga are excited about the digitalisation programme, which will see the district together with others countrywide that had never received radio and TV signal, getting coverage.

Villagers in Manjolo and Siachilaba yesterday gathered at the Manjolo transmitter which is under construction.

The Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Christopher Mushohwe, his deputy Sithokozile Mathuthu, Permanent Secretary George Charamba and other officials visited the transmitter, which will be 113m tall and would cover a radius of 120km. Local leaders commended the government saying the district would be able to receive local news as opposed to foreign signals from pirate radio stations.

Chief Sikalenge said: “There are a lot of programmes that will be done in Tonga and we’re looking forward to the start of the stations.”

Chief Siachilaba-designate Nonah Mungombe who will be installed next week said: “We’re happy because we’ve never received local signal here and now we will be updated on government programmes. We commend the government for this because we will now be treated equally like other districts and places like Bulawayo, Harare and Masvingo which have been favourably getting signal. We’ve been listening to radio from Zambia and we’re grateful that we will soon have our own.”

Binga District Administrator Lydia Ndethi-Banda said Binga will now be able to contribute on the national agenda. “We’re very happy that this will now enable us to receive government programmes first hand especially address from His Excellency,” Ndethi-Banda said.

Minister Mushohwe was mesmerised by Manjolo Choir which led the singing of the national anthem. The leader of the choir, Twapegwa Binga, said they were ready to deliver content enough to cover programming in Tonga. “We can’t wait to be on air. We’ve been working hard and we’re happy that the government is moving in to empower us,” she said.

The Manjolo transmitter is one of the 24 new stations that are being constructed countrywide, to add to the 24 old ones. It is the first to be built and Minister Mushohwe said it will be the first to be switched on. From Manjolo, the delegation proceeded to Kamativi where digital broadcasting is already being demonstrated from Kamativi Police Station using two digital transmitters. Equipment at Kamativi was mounted on the existing transmitter.

Minister Mushohwe said Binga was fortunate to be the first district to be considered for digitalisation.

“Binga is fortunate to be the first. Yes you may be connected on mobile network but you need radio and TV. People of Binga have a rich history of the struggle as they crossed to Zambia to join the war while those from Bulawayo and Harare were going to school. For that they have to be rewarded by getting the first digital transmission,” he said.

 

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