United States Agency for Global Media

VOA marks 36th anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence

April 20, 2016

Washington, D.C. — The topic of Zimbabwe’s long-time president, Robert Mugabe, dominated a VOA panel discussion on Zimbabwe on the 36th anniversary of the country’s independence on Monday.

“It’s difficult for anyone who’s stayed in power for 36 years to stay on track,” said a member of the panel, Gregory Simpkins, staff director of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights.

Simpkins participated in “Zimbabwe @36: The Way Forward,” a panel discussion hosted by VOA’s Zimbabwe Service that explored the problems and prospects the country faces. “I don’t see how anybody could honestly say that he’s still a hero, that he’s still an asset to Zimbabwe,” Simpkins said of the 92-year-old president.

Democracy activist Reverend Isaac Mwase and entrepreneur Sibongile Sidile Sibanda also took part in the Washington event. “Accept the fact that these are the leaders that are there,” said Mwase. “Given that these are the leaders, how does the Zimbabwe populace inside and outside Zimbabwe engage them in ways that are going to change the trajectory for the future of the country? Now, it’s not going to be easy. Nation building is never easy.”

“We need to be able to vote, so we need to send a word that South Africans vote outside the country,” Sibanda said.  “Zambians vote, so we would like to be able to exercise our vote.  It’s our birthright.”

VOA Africa Division Director Negussie Mengesha called the situation in Zimbabwe a “paradox” given that the country was a major grain producer at the time of its independence, but that today it must rely on food assistance.

Mugabe, the country’s president since 1980, has declared that he will not relinquish power to the Movement for Democratic Change, the country’s main opposition political party.

VOA Zimbabwe went on the air in 2003. The service broadcasts to the country daily in Shona, English and Ndebele on its signature Studio 7 and LiveTalk programs.  More information about VOA’s Zimbabwe Service can be found at: www.voashona.com, www.voazimbabwe.com and www.voandebele.com.

The Voice of America reaches a global weekly audience of more than 187 million people in more than 40 languages.  VOA programs are delivered on satellite, cable, shortwave, FM, medium wave, streaming audio and video, and more than 2,350 media outlets worldwide.  VOA is funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors.