Umhlaka 27 Zibandlela 2003, lilanga lapho umsakazo we-Voice of America Studio 7 waqala ukusakaza e-Zimbabwe. Abamabandla ezombusazwe aphikisayo, lozulu jikelele besithi lumsakazo, usunikeze abantu izindaba ezehlukene lalezo ababejwayele ukuzizwa emisakazweni engaphansi kukahulumende.
Sekuyiminyaka engamatshumi amabili lumsakazo wangena emoyeni kwele Zimbabwe, inengi lisithi liyathokoza ngokuphiwa ithuba lokukhuluma okusenhlizwiyeni zabo.
I-Studio 7 isebenza iphansi kwenkampani yomsakazo owe-Voice of America, oncediswa nguzulu wele-Melika ukusakaza ngendimi ezedlula amatshumi amane, emhlabeni jikele; njalo isipha uzulu imibono engeyameli hlangothi futhi ingasekeli loba yiliphi ibandla lezombusazwe.
Ukusungulwa kwalumsakazo kwele-Zimbabwe ngomnyaka ka 2003 kwasiza kakhulu, ngoba weza ngesikhathi abantu behlukuluzwa nguhulumende ka-Mongameli Robert Mugabe.
Ngesikhathi lesi amaphephandaba azimeleyo afana lele-Daily News ayesipha imibono eyayisola uhulumende, ayesevaliwe phansi komthetho we Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).
Abezombusazwe bathi osekwenze iStudio 7 yaba khona lanamhlanje yikuba ipha imibono kuzulu ingela cele elisekelayo.
UMnu Gift Ostallos Siziba owebandla le-Citizens Coalition for Change, uthi lumsakazo usuncedise kakhulu ukupha uzulu izindaba eziveza mgceke isimo esise Zimbabwe.
“I-Studio 7 namhlanje ithakazelela iminyaka elitshumi lambili. Iyasincedisa kakhulu ukuze sikhulise i-democracy yethu. Sizazama ukuyisekela i-Zimbabwe ize ikhululeke”
UMnu. Believe Gaule owebandla le ZANU PF yena othi i-Studio 7 ayifani leminye imisakazo.
“Thina sithakazelela ukuba i-Studio 7 iyasipha ithuba njenge bandla. Saqala singezwani ,kodwa kukhanya lingumsakazo ongathathi cele”
Lokhu kugcizelelwe nguMnu. Witness Dube owebandla le MDC-T.
“Siyawuthakazelela umsakazo we Studio 7. Akula msakazo osinikeza ithuba lokutsho okwenziwa ngamabandla ethu ngaphandle kwe Studio 7.”
Omunye wabalaleli bakaStudio 7 omkhulu, uMnu. Ribery Sithole uthi lumsakazo uthakazelelwa nguzulu wonke elizweni.
“Thina iqiniso lonke silithola ku-Studio 7. Akula ndlela esingezwa ngayo ukuba kwenzakalani kuleli, ngaphandle kokulalela i-Studio 7”
Kodwa umsekeli kamphathintambo wezokwethulwa kwemibiko, uMnu. Kindness Paradza uthi kumele i-Studio 7 isebenzele kwele-Zimbabwe okusemthethweni.
“Kumele i-Studio 7 isebenzele kwele-Zimbabwe ngoba nxa liphandle kwelizwe, liphazamisa imizamo kahulumende. Lisebenza le-Melika ukulwisa i-Zimbabwe”
I-Studio 7 esakaza ise-Washington DC, yasungula umsebenzi wokusakazela e-Zimbabwe, ngenjongo yokukhuthaza uzulu ukupha imibono yakhe ekhululekile ngesimo esiselizweni, kungakhathalekile ukuba abasembusweni bathini.
Yaqala ngokusakaza ngolimi lweSingisi kusukela ngoMvulo kusiya ngolwe-Sihlanu maviki wonke. Kwazokuthi ngemva kwenyanga ezintathu, yangezelela inhlelo zayo yaqalisa ukusakaza ngolimi lwesi-Shona langesiNdebele. Inhlelo zayo zaya lokhu zingezelelwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, osokufike kuzinga lokusakaza lasezinkundleni zokuxhumana ezithakazalelwa nguzulu, ezihlanganisela i-Whatsapp, Facebook, YouTube lezinye.
Ngesikhathi i-Studio 7 iqala ukusakaza, kwaluleminye imisakazo eyayikhona, ehlanganisela i-Shortwave radio, le-Radio VOP. Namhlanje, eminye le imisakazo kayisekho, kodwa i-Studio 7 ilokhu iqina isiyaphambili.
