Feba Zimbabwe celebrates 25 years of radio ministry. Through difficult times of political and cultural change one constant has always been the hard work Feba staff put into spreading the Gospel and bringing hope.

Feba Zimbabwe’s audience
Val Chiketa, a board member from 2000-05, remembers the programme Tsika Nemagariro Evanhu. The title means ‘the way we live in our culture’. Val says: “They were reaching out to people who did not believe in God, but believed in ancestral spirits. There is a lot of ancestral worship there and the programme tried to touch those people.

"The programme looked at people’s culture, comparing it to Christianity. It was always interesting and enlightening, with sometimes a witchdoctor or a university lecturer on the panel. We used to receive a lot of response because content was topical."

Early days
Feba Zimbabwe started in cramped rented accommodation, but was able to broadcast for free. At this time Feba Zimbabwe was co-ordinating most of the religious broadcasts for the national broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

But by 1993 the team moved into their own building. Feba Zimbabwe was initially developed by Norman Brierley, appointed as co-ordinator for Africa – Southern Region. He relocated to Harare in 1984 with his wife Janet and three young children from Feba’s station in the Seychelles.

“There was great potential. We needed to engage the church in the use and support of Christian radio, and there was much enthusiasm from church leaders”, said Norman.

“I was joined by local radio broadcaster, Gift Mabhaudi,” Norman recalls. “We trained pastors who then had the opportunity of taking Sunday services and other shorter programmes.”

New studios and a nunnery
The next Co-ordinator for Africa Southern Region, Tim Miller, remembers Feba Zimbabwe in 1993. “The new offices and studios were a good facility and a major boost to the ministry.”

Tim said: “We held regular training courses looking for talented volunteers for the production of 'thought for the day' type programmes in Harare. But we travelled to Bulawayo at least once a year to run courses there. It’s the only time I've stayed in a nunnery!”

Thought for the Day was a three-minute slot that opened ZBC’s broadcasts at 5am, following the national anthem. This was aired on Radio 1 in English while Radio 2 was broadcasting similar content in Shona. Both stations had a Sunday morning religious service programme.

Meanwhile, Radio 3 (equivalent to UK’s Radio 1) could be heard playing Western pop music with a local flavour, and Radio 4 broadcast programmes in minority languages.

During those early days the national government radio service allowed Feba Zimbabwe live radio phone-ins - and programmes were vibrant.

Voices quietened by the government
After 2003, Feba Zimbabwe had to pay for airtime as economic conditions in the country changed. This resulted in a reduction in the number of programmes broadcast. Government regulations made it difficult to broadcast live and greater care was paid to content considered politically sensitive.

Twenty-five years after Feba Zimbabwe’s inception, Val finds his country’s future difficult to forecast. “The government does not issue licences to anybody else for broadcasting,” he said. “There is currently no dedicated Christian radio station or TV channel in Zimbabwe, although there are signs that other radio stations are looking to become established. There is optimism that other areas will open up.”

Prayer for wider international ministry
Looking ahead, Norman Brierley hopes Feba Zimbabwe can develop a meaningful role with ZBC after the lean years of 2001-09, and that they can set up an FM station with a niche role in the country.

“My prayer is that in the future they will play a significant role influencing ministries in the countries surrounding Zimbabwe.”

Click the audio icon above to hear Feba UK staff past and present (Norman Brierley, Mark Taylor, Tim Miller, Valentine Chiketa) send congratulations to Feba Zimbabwe on their 25 years in ministry.