Makoni commends The Zimbabwean

He said it was amazing that the paper was doing such a “splendid job of giving space to the voiceless” in spite of limited resources.

“It is an honour to learn first-hand that all the good work done by The Zimbabwean to articulate issues concerning the marginalised is coming from this small team equipped with basic tools,” Makoni said.

Agreeing with News Editor Tawanda Majoni on the need for the media to cover address grassroots concerns, Makoni added “A good media house worth its salt should include stories about the rural, lower rungs of society – their aspirations and achievements – and this is what you are doing.”

Makoni, a former Finance Minister, said in most new stories marginalised communities were covered as a mere footnote as most media houses concentrated on urban issues. The newspaper has correspondents across the country who cover even the remotest areas, with a particular focus on marginalised communities. Its thrust is to cover stories that enhance national development. Thousands of priceless copies are distributed every week in many rural areas as most people cannot afford to buy newspapers but are desperate for news and information.

Makoni lamented the scarcity of stories about women and the young in the national print and electronic media and said news reporting in Zimbabwe had generally deteriorated as reflected by the narrow coverage of urban, elite, sensational and poorly investigated stories about the big fish.

“I admire and am encouraged by the resilience shown by The Zimbabwean at the height of hostilities against the organisation,” said Makoni. In thanking him, Majoni said: “It is gratifying that you are visiting our newsroom even when elections are more than four years away. That demonstrates your bona fide spirit to appreciate our situation as journalists.”