By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
The newly appointed Beitbridge Rural District Council (BBRDC) Chief Executive Officer, Kiliboni Mbedzi, met with journalists from various media houses on Wednesday to discuss strengthening of relations between the council and the media.
The engagement, held at the BBRDC boardroom, was organised by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) Matabeleland South Chapter chairperson Thupeyo Muleya.
The meeting sought to bridge existing information gaps between the local authority and media practitioners operating in the district.
The session was attended by journalists from Zimpapers, Lotsha FM, and Ziyah Media, among others, who shared ideas on how to improve the flow of information between the council and the public.
In her remarks, Ms. Mbedzi acknowledged the important role the media plays in informing communities about development initiatives and governance issues.
“The media plays a vital role in announcing development and highlighting what the government and council are doing for the community,” she said.
“It is very important that the media works closely with the council to strengthen its watchdog role and ensure transparency.”
She urged the media to promote constructive reporting that helps build the community through accurate and empowering information.
“Let’s work together, publish what is constructive, and build a community through information that capacitate our people,” Mbedzi added.
“We have councillors who are politicians within the BBRDC, hence we should keep an open mind whenever we engage them rather than pushing a certain narrative,” she noted.
During the meeting, journalists encouraged the council to make better use of its public notice board to share updates about ward-level activities and ongoing development projects.
Rex Mphisa a journalist, called on the council to take deliberate steps to educate journalists about its various projects, such as the CAMPFIRE initiative, so that media coverage can be more accurate and informative.
Lotsha FM Manager, Progress Moyo, announced the station has dedicated a weekly radio slot every Wednesday for BBRDC officials to interact with the public and provide updates on local developments.
“This platform will help keep residents informed and give the council an opportunity to explain its programmes directly to the people,” Moyo said.
In his concluding remarks, Mphisa emphasised the importance of collaboration between journalists and the council, noting that the media’s mandate is to serve the community responsibly.
“We are committed to working professionally and collaboratively to improve our community through responsible journalism,” he said.
The meeting ended with a shared commitment to foster open communication channels between the council and the media as part of efforts to enhance transparency, accountability, and public trust in local governance.