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 groupsin Zimbabwe. Using political economy as theory, the study engaged members of Lyeja-Nyai DevelopmentTrust to analyse socio-cultural and political challenges for Lyeja FM community radio of the Nambya andDombe/Tonga ethnic groups in a multilingual community of Hwange. The findings of the study show thatBroadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) licensed community radio stations through local or ethnicnon-governmental organisations and these ethnic non-governmental organisations determined indigenouslanguage programmes for community radio broadcasting. The article argues that local communities shouldbe custodians of their own community radio broadcasting.