This compelling collection brings together 14 rigorously fact-checked investigative stories from seven provinces across Zimbabwe.
Supported by the Information for Development Trust (IDT), the reports were produced by a vibrant group of mostly young journalists dedicated to spotlighting the challenges and resilience of marginalised communities.
These investigations shine a spotlight on underreported issues such as land rights, service delivery, environmental justice, and democracy, all centred around the critical theme of public accountability.
Among the most striking investigations is the exposé titled: Chinese cement manufacturer killing Redcliff Residents Slowly, where a Chinese-owned cement manufacturer was found to be slowly killing residents through toxic silica dust emissions.
The revelations led to public uproar and renewed pressure on local authorities over unsafe industrial zoning.
Another powerful piece, Climate change induced droughts fuel exodus of young people in Matabeleland South, highlighted the dire lack of access to clean water in Matabeleland South, spurring social media activism and pushing officials to address long-ignored infrastructural failings. Government responded by drilling various boreholes in the region under the presidential borehole scheme.
The article Exposed: Inside Manyame’s Shady Land Deals…uncovered evidence of land grabs and the displacement of smallholder farmers, sparking a national debate on rural land ownership and restitution.
Equally hard-hitting was the investigation into healthcare collapse in rural Manicaland titled: Chiredzi South relegated to the Dark Ages by uncaring govt which brought national attention to the lack of social amenities and services to marginalised communities in Chiredzi South.
These stories, and many more within the newsletter, not only expose injustice but also provoke dialogue, prompt action, and pave the way for meaningful change.
Beyond informing and inspiring, this newsletter serves as a resource hub and memory bank for scholars, journalists, policymakers, and civil society actors.
It also stands as a powerful reminder of the role investigative reporting plays in holding power to account and driving development from the ground up.
Dive in and discover the impact of grassroots reporting in holding power to account and driving local development.