Award-winning investigative journalist Hopewell Chin'ono has publicly criticised Zimbabwe’s Senate President, Mabel Chinomona, accusing her of interfering in the affairs of ZiFM Stereo following controversy around the station’s “Person of the Year” poll.
The dispute emerged after ZiFM, a youth-oriented radio station, included former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere in its listener-driven poll. The inclusion drew criticism from Chinomona, who took to social media platform X to accuse ZiFM presenter Misred of being a “sellout” and suggested the broadcaster should take disciplinary action.
In a strongly worded response on X, Chin'ono said the Senate President’s focus on a radio poll was misplaced at a time when Zimbabwe was facing deep social and economic challenges. He cited high maternal mortality rates, unemployment, limited access to electricity, and the lack of functioning cancer treatment facilities as issues he said deserved greater attention from senior political leaders.
“How can the President of the Senate involve herself in a radio station’s fun poll while the country faces such serious crises?” Chin'ono wrote, adding that the intervention risked embarrassing both the country and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chin'ono argued that ZiFM’s audience largely consists of young and unemployed Zimbabweans, making it unsurprising, in his view, that listeners might support Mahere, a young lawyer and politician. He described the criticism of the station as an example of “political and media illiteracy” and warned against what he characterised as threats towards journalists and presenters.
He further accused Chinomona of undermining media freedom by publicly admonishing a broadcaster over a non-political poll, describing such actions as inappropriate for the holder of one of the country’s highest offices.
Chinomona, however, has maintained that her criticism reflects the views of some young people, claiming that petitions were being circulated calling for action against the presenter involved. ZiFM Stereo has not issued a formal statement responding to the controversy.
The BBC has sought comment from the Senate President and ZiFM Stereo. The exchange has renewed debate in Zimbabwe about political influence, media independence and the role of public officials in responding to criticism aired on popular platforms such as ZiFM.
