Radio Wegahta Tigray: From Voice of Resistance and Resilience to Silence
Radio Wegahta Tigray (RWT) was established in 2021 by a handful of dedicated members of the diaspora to provide radio services to the people of Tigray, particularly during the genocidal war, when the region was under total siege and communication blackout.
At a time when there was no other contextually credible, timely, and relevant source of information, RWT served as a vital platform of connection, hope, and resilience for the people of Tigray and the armed resistance. Its mission was to inspire and strengthen the spirit of independence and endurance among a population facing immense hardship and invasion.
RWT broadcasting via its shortwave radio airtime at 15340 kHz (19-meter band) had programs that included news, analysis, and other structured segments relevant to the wartime context. The station’s one-hour daily broadcast was primarily produced and managed from the Axumite Media studio in Nairobi, Kenya (now Yabele Media) and aired through airtime rented from Radio Miami International (USA).
Program coordination and editorial oversight were handled by Woldegiorgis G. Hiwot Teklay, Managing Director of Axumite Media. Dr Solomon Mezgebu, based in the USA, managed licence registration, airtime rental, and financial matters, together with nine board members who personally contributed funds to sustain the airtime rental service.
In addition to the main content produced by Axumite Media, RWT also featured contributions from partner outlets such as Rara Media and Dedebit Media, which provided 25-minute segments twice a week.
The radio program could not continue due to a lack of funds to cover the monthly airtime rental cost of over 5,000 USD after eight months of broadcasting. In addition, the political climate became increasingly unfavorable, and access to information was severely restricted following the victory of the TDF over the federal and allied forces at the end of June 2021. Those who had previously supported and cooperated with us during the popular struggle—due to our shared agenda—turned against us after regaining power, perceiving us as critical of the TPLF leadership.
Nevertheless, Axumite Media took the initiative to continue the work independently as Axumite Radio on the same frequency for an additional two months, but it too was ultimately forced to cease operations for the same financial reasons.
X (Twitter) account- Radio Wegahta Tigray, created March 2021.
