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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE Second Republic will continue embracing the media fraternity because a robust media is good for the socio-economic growth of the country, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Mr Nick Mangwana has said.

He said Government does not discriminate the media, contrary to views of the country’s detractors.

In an interview in Gweru on Sunday, Mr Mangwana said a robust media is good for the development of the country.

He said the Government has an open-door policy for all journalists including those that attack national policies every day.

“We invite every member of the media, even those who are hostile to us, those who attack us every day, we invite them to our functions, we still give them contacts, that’s our way of saying we are working together,” he said.

Mr Mangwana said no journalist has to date been arrested for exposing or speaking against corruption in Government.

“Robust media is good. This speaks to the lies that you hear that there is somebody who was arrested for talking about corruption because nobody has been arrested for talking about corruption.

“I challenge you and I have challenged other people before, I want you to open any edition of the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper from the past month or two. Every issue published and you will see that each one of them attacks the Government, each one of them accuses the Government of corruption even falsely but has anyone been arrested? No, The people that have been arrested, have been arrested for subversive acts and planning subversion. We as Government in the Second Republic embrace the media,” he said.

Mr Mangwana said a polarised media was detrimental to the development of the country as it has a tendency of dividing the people.

“We don’t want a media that is polarised but that aside, we don’t want a polarising media because I think that’s the worst, you can play your games in your papers, write all you want and have these contestations but do not divide the people of Zimbabwe. To develop this country, we need everyone together,” he said.

The country, Mr Mangwana said, is facing a Covid-19 threat which needs the media to work together in disseminating information to mitigate the spread of the virus.

“We are facing a really difficult situation as a country, here in Gweru as I said we have the third largest level of infections in the country. Midlands has played a critical role in terms of availing quarantine centres for the nation. But we are facing other threats in the country where people are distracting us from the focus that we should be applying our mind to, the focus of keeping our people safe and doing other things,” he said.