The Political Economy of Indigenous Local Media for Minority Languages in Zimbabwe: A Case of Lyeja FM Community Radio

Abstract

This article analyses the political economy of indigenous language media for minority ethnolinguistic groups in Zimbabwe. Using political economy as theory, the study engaged members of Lyeja-Nyai Development Trust to analyse socio-cultural and political challenges for Lyeja FM community radio of the Nambya and Dombe/Tonga ethnic groups in a multilingual community of Hwange. The findings of the study show that Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) licensed community radio stations through local or ethnic non-governmental organisations and these ethnic non-governmental organisations determined indigenous language programmes for community radio broadcasting. The article argues that local communities should be custodians of their own community radio broadcasting.