It’s not every day that a journalist becomes the story. But Farai Mudzingwa, the creator of Daily Viz, is doing something bold enough to warrant it—slicing through Zimbabwe’s loud, emotional digital spaces with calm, factual data stories that have turned WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Instagram into classrooms.

A journalist who believes data is a public good, Farai Mudzingwa founded Daily Viz in 2025 to bring clarity, nuance, and evidence into Zimbabwean discourse—one visual at a time. He also runs Untold ZW, spotlighting Zimbabwe’s creative voices.

This week, instead of doing what journalists usually do—interrogating the world—this time the spotlight is on him.

Q: Farai, you’ve spent almost a decade in journalism. What pushed you to start Daily Viz?

Farai: “Frustration. I’m constantly shocked at how the same anecdotes from ten years ago still dominate discussions about Zimbabwe. We all want to speak, but we rarely want to educate ourselves. Daily Viz started as a personal challenge—one visual a day—but once people began looking forward to them, it became clear that this could fill a real gap.”

He didn’t set out to start a movement. But that’s often how movements start.

Q: You are building a reputation as Zimbabwe’s ‘cool ’nerd’—turning charts into culture. How does that feel?

Farai: laughs “The end result might look cool. But behind it? Spreadsheets, trial and error, and anxiety. The funny thing is, this is the one project people associate with me more than anything else I’ve ever done.”

The humility is disarming—and entirely on brand.

Q: WhatsApp has become your newsroom. Why that space?

Farai: “Accessibility. The broader internet is expensive. WhatsApp is where Zimbabwe lives. And often, the people with limited data are the ones who need this information most. So, if we’re serious about democratizing knowledge, we meet people where they are.”

He says this almost casually, but it’s a profound editorial philosophy that legacy newsrooms need to invest in understanding, beyond just publishing platforms, but what makes news.

Q: Online, we often hear two extremes: ‘Zimbabwe is collapsing’ or ‘Zimbabwe is booming.’ What myth frustrates you the most?

Farai: “Exactly that binary thinking. The economy isn’t one straight line. Infrastructure and energy players are having a better season. Cotton farmers just had one of their worst. Tobacco farmers are celebrating record harvests.

I’m less interested in simplistic verdicts and more in who feels what and why. That teaches you more about society than hashtags ever will.”

This is where Daily Viz shifts from information to insight.

Q: You run Daily Viz without a donor, newsroom, or big team. How do you stay independent—and sane?

Farai: “Low overheads. I work on visuals mostly on weekends. I do other work. I design visuals for companies that want to understand their own data better. Most of Daily Viz has no big logistics burden—and that’s why independence is possible.”

He says this with the calm of someone who has learned to navigate the hustle with grace.

Q: If you could partner with one government department, one civil society group, and one media house, who makes the list?

Farai: “Government: any ministry holding public-interest data—Agriculture is a big one.
Civil society: health-focused organizations—because that’s where data can literally save lives.
Media houses: all of them. And Daily Viz is building something for Zimbabwean media… that’s a 2026 conversation.”

Can’t wait for that one!

Q: A foreign investor or policymaker has one minute to understand Zimbabwe. What visual do you show them?

Farai: “Investors? Energy sector strides. Policymakers? Primary and Secondary Completion Rates—it’s a proxy for digital literacy, wealth, and attitudes.”

📊 Energy Visual: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIv-v5wt5qK/

📊 Education Completion Rates: https://www.instagram.com/p/DM0AHl0t3lK/

Q: For corporates wondering how to work with you, what can Daily Viz offer?

Farai: “We help companies understand their own data. We create visuals that communicate their stories to investors, policymakers, or customers. And we analyze data for teams without in-house analysts—even something as simple as helping shops understand seasonal patterns.”

Where to Find Daily Viz

WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjiS84tRrzYiU8iX27
X: https://x.com/dailyviz263
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dailyviz263/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@faraimudzingwatv
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farai-mudzingwa-a35375157/