d(v) TikTok TIKTOK is well-liked among young people in Zimbabwe, especially the 18-24 and 25-35 age groups, accounting for 53.6% and 45.5% users, respectively [32]. Instead of political dialogue, the platform is mostly used for social interaction. Therefore, a more in-depth study would need to be done to ascertain the real matrices involved regarding social media usage and access, especially for the nascent social media sites such as TikTok and Instagram. (e) Oral/word of mouth THE use of word of mouth is also a very important medium of communication and access to information among the surveyed Zimbabweans. From the current study, 22% of respondents said they rely on word of mouth as their primary source of information. Most of the surveyed citizens use it when they want to know what is going on in their local areas. Of these, 10% said they use this when they want to know what is taking place in Zimbabwe, while a similar proportion said this is done to pass the time when travelling/commuting/ bored, and 8% resort to get an appreciation of different perspectives. Furthermore, 6% use word of mouth, when they want to be kept informed about certain issues, and the desire to know what is happening around the world, is also shared by 6% of the surveyed population. According to a 2020 research [33] on access to media in Zimbabwe’s rural areas, while corroborating the reliance on traditional media, highlighted how traditional forms of accessing and sharing information play an integral role in many rural communities and how they are largely integrated with the modern mainstream and new media. The few rural inhabitants with access to the mainstream media play an important, but lopsided intermediary role as they pass on information received within their communities. Rural communities have also deferred to disseminating information through communal meetings organised through the traditional leadership structure of chiefs and headmen and other community development initiatives. It is essential for aid agencies to engage the traditional leadership in local communication initiatives for their work to succeed. Similarly, teachers and head teachers are significant in disseminating information in rural communities. This role has, however, exposed them to targeting for victimisation by political parties during times of heightened political tension [34]. In most rural communities, word of mouth is the anchor of rural information flow and is highly integrated with other information systems to form an information ecosystem that feeds on and off each other. information needs of rural communities, addressing political, economic and social needs. It is generally slower and prone to distortions as key interests intermediate to advance personal goals. The Afrobarometer Dispatch No.367 makes similar observations on the importance of traditional media in the exchange of information in society: “But other people surpasses all media channels as a regular news source, cited by 64% of respondents” [35]. ‘ IT is essential for aid agencies to engage the traditional leadership in local communication initiatives for their work to succeed. It cuts across all facets of the 25