Paheja Siririka
Former MP Kazenambo Kazenambo shared with Entertainment Now! that since leaving parliament, he has ventured into different business endeavours, including tapping into the construction and retail industries, further adding that he has also capitalised into the media industry by setting up a radio station.
Apart from being a politician, Kazenambo is also a trained journalist. “I am investing heavily in the media. We have already started a radio station, but due to certain circumstances, our frequency is only confined to the Okahandja area but next year we are rolling out our television programme,” publicised Kazenambo.
He added: “The radio station Universal Media, a multilingual radio station 105.5 FM is up and running and it has been operational the entire year, so now we are starting to put things in place for the television station, also confined to the Okahandja area because our license can only permit a coverage of that space.”
He said the broadcasting industry is heavily protected and the entry into the sector, especially in radio and television is restrictive.
“I don’t know why that’s the case, it is frustrating as on hand the country is crying for job creation and on the other, we are stifling down investment. I cannot understand why we have a moratorium in media by those who want to invest in the sector. This will contribute to tax payment and largely impact economic development in general,” stated Kazenambo.
He said many young local journalists are graduating all over. “Even now at our radio station, we have taken in about three interns.
He said: “We are multilingual radio and TV stations, so we intend on employing Namibians from all languages and walks of life to give young journalists jobs and doesn’t understand the logic of the moratorium.”
The former MP said if the media goes astray, there are many tools and equipment of making sure they don’t go astray in terms of labelling people or media abuse but he refused to take in the stifling of the industry while it stands a chance.
Kazenambo further mentioned the moratorium is useless when it comes to the stifling of the sector because new ways are being used such as streaming and all it is doing is creating or slowing down development in terms of job creation for the qualified.
“We are stifling investment and disadvantaging young people who could be employed at these institutions and make a decent living,” he concluded.
The station’s manager, Gotti Katupose said Universal Media airs news (local/international) and current affairs, religion, sport, culture and entertainment.
“We prioritise on providing effective platforms for the residents of Okahandja and its surrounding. As a local broadcaster, we focus on providing radio services incorporating a wide range of programmes that informs, enlightens and entertain. Universal Media is a multilingual radio station that strives to cater to all the indigenous languages, to ensure that the voice of the voiceless is well represented and heard locally and internationally. The station also gauges public views through VoxPops (Voice of the people) which is gathering of interviews. This helps to determine how a national story is affecting a local community, such as people’s views on the Covid-19 pandemic,” informed Katupose.
He added that in the next five years, they would like to see Universal Media as the leading radio station in Okahandja with the expansion of its frequency throughout the country.
- psiririka@nepc.com.na