BUJUMBURA April 5th (ABP) – The assistant to the Minister of Communication, Information Technologies and the Media, Mr. Thierry Kitamoya, solemnly opened on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Bujumbura, Radio Isôko FM–RBDC (Radio Burundi Discovery Channel) which broadcasts on 100.4 MHz.
In his speech, the legal representative of Radio Isôko FM–RBDC, Mr. Jean Patrick Nduwimana said that this radio station is one of the projects of Festival Burundi Discovery Foundation (FBDF), which wants to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country through tourism, environment, entrepreneurship, social cohesion, economy, patriotism, human rights, promotion of women’s rights and others.
According to Mr. Nduwimana, the radio station has come to help find solutions to certain challenges which are particularly evident in the tourism sector and in entrepreneurship, while also creating a lot of jobs.
The Chairperson of the National Media Council (CNC), Ambassador Vestine Nahimana, congratulated those who initiated the Radio Isôko FM project. She also pointed out that this Radio station will help the people of Burundi to have useful information in their daily life including agriculture, livestock, culture, environment and others.
According to her, the Government, from the sensitization of that radio station, will have an opportunity to collect taxes and duties for the development of the country. Despite this, Mrs. Nahimana asked those responsible for that medium to follow the editorial line they have set themselves and to carry out their activities in accordance with the law governing the Burundian press and other laws, which the country has put in place.
The managers of Radio Isôko FM-RBDC and journalists are also asked not to disseminate false information or messages of hatred, but rather to disseminate constructive and balanced information. The journalists of that Radio station must also all have contracts to avoid certain problems, the CNC chairperson advised them.
For his part, Mr. Kitamoya asked those responsible for that newborn in the media world to promote the mother tongue in their broadcasts. They are also asked to work while targeting the interests of Burundian citizens, especially by sensitizing them to go about development work. Mr. Kitamoya also invited the journalists of that Radio station to exploit it in a constructive way, explaining that a badly used media can threaten the peace and the security of the country.
On the side of the ministry responsible the media, he promised, through the media support fund, to build the capacities of journalists working at Radio Isôko FM-RBDC as is the case for other media. The said Radio will also receive certain materials from the ministry in charge of the media.
Note that Radio Isôko FM-RBDC broadcasts in the provinces of Mairie, Bujumbura, Bubanza, Cibitoke, Kayanza (Kabarore, Butaganzwa), Ngozi (Tangara), Muramvya (Mbuye), Mwaro (Rusaka, Nyabihanga), Bururi (Rutovu), Rumonge (Rumonge) and Karusi (Gitaramuka). The Radio also plans to broadcast, in three years, throughout the national territory and have the provincial correspondents.