Mazabuka Community Radio Station is a Community-owned radio station situated in Mazabuka, a small town along the line of rail in Southern Province. Mazabuka is nicknamed the “sweetest town in Zambia” as it is the home of Zambia’s sugar. It lies about 124 km and 2 hours’ drive South-west of Lusaka with the 2010 population estimated at 261,268 (Central Statistical Office, 2011). The major economic a
ctivities in Mazabuka include sugar production, commercial farming, cattle ranching, fishing and nickel mining. The Zambia Sugar Company, Munali Nickel, Kaleya Small Holdings, Zambezi Ranching, Nanga Farms and other commercial farms are the major employers in the area. Mazabuka Community Radio Station started its operations in 2000. The station operates a 500 Kilowatt transmitter on 95.5 FM and broadcasts to a radius of one hundred and fifty kilometers. However reception is said to be affected by the hilly terrain in the area and unreliable equipment. The station which broadcasts in English and Tonga a privately run community radio. The Station broadcasts from 06.00 hours to 22.00 hours daily and broadcasts a variety of programmes whose focus is on health, HIV and Aids, good governance, community issues, news and current affairs and entertainment. Others programmes include commercials, educational programmes, agricultural programmes, cultural issues as well as talk shows covering good governance, development, poverty eradication, climate change, community and family affairs. The station caters for all age groups ranging from below fifteen years of age to those aged fifty five and above. Our most popular programmes are news and current affairs, community issues, entertainment, Good Governance, talk shows followed by HIV and AIDS.