The media play a very important role in amplifying citizen voices in advocating for social justice and peace in any society. However, there are “draconian” media laws in Zimbabwe which militate against this noble agenda. Consequently, such laws have muffled mainstream media operations and crippled fair debate and commentary. The conventional media such as newspapers, radio and television have been profoundly affected by such laws especially in budding democracies like Zimbabwe. In this contribution we examine the democratic impact of alternative media. We argue that in Zimbabwe, due to media polarisation and restrictive mainstream media environment, alternative media has become instrumental in affording citizens platforms to exchange ideas. The media environment in Zimbabwe has seen ordinary citizens losing ideal platforms to use in advocating for their civil and political rights. Participatory voices have been muzzled and fragmented by a host of issues. In this context, the coming in of alternative media has breathed hope to Zimbabweans who saw an opportunity to freely express their views and opinions. The alternative of participatory media in Zimbabwe is viewed against the background of restrictive media laws, media polarisation, media pluralism without diversity and the closures of mainstream media due to economic hardships. This chapter analyses how Zimbabweans have used alternative media mainly WhatsApp to freely convey their messages during elections as a way of promoting justice and peace. It also demonstrates how alternative media have become independent forums and credible sources of developmental, health and political information in Zimbabwe. Archival research and critical analysis are employed to draw conclusions.
