INSUKAMINI, Zimbabwe – The Zimbabwe’s government will set up a housing scheme for journalists in the country.
The scheme which is expected to benefit at least 1,000 journalists was announced by the country’s Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister Kindness Paradza during the burial of New Ziana editorial consultant and veteran journalist Fanwell Sibanda, New Ziana reported.
Paradza said the government has partnered with a local estate agent to build houses for journalists throughout the country as a way of improving their welfare.
“We are worried about the welfare of our journalists. As government we have partnered with a local estate agent to have 1,000 apartments constructed for journalists.
“We will start with Harare and go to other provinces. We will offer the apartments to journalist and they will pay on a rent to buy arrangement.
“We have seen that because of their meagre salaries, a lot of our journalists are not able to buy houses and banks are also not able to provide that to them,” he said.
He said the paperwork for the commencement of the joint project under the Finance and Economic Development Ministry, the National Housing and Social Amenities Ministry and the Information Ministry was already underway and the project would be rolled out soon, according to the report.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to do a ground breaking ceremony for the housing scheme soon, it added. – Bernama
