Zim GBC News | Legal Desk
Harare – The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has strongly criticized the compulsory collection of radio listener license fees, declaring that the practice forces citizens to fund a state broadcaster it accuses of editorial bias and violates fundamental constitutional rights.
In its recently released 2025 Human Rights Situation Report, the commission took aim at Section 38B of the Broadcasting Services Act, which requires motorists to produce a valid ZBC radio licence or an exemption certificate when licensing or insuring a vehicle.
The ZHRC argues that this enforcement mechanism is unconstitutional when applied to a public broadcaster that fails to uphold impartiality.
“Linking vehicle licensing and insurance to a ZBC radio listener’s licence raises concerns, apart from the licence’s significant cost, about freedom of choice in information sources,” the commission stated.
It further warned that the mandate undermines several protected rights.
“This undermines the right to freedoms of movement, expression and access to information and obliges people to financially support a State-run broadcaster whose editorial content is partisan in violation of Section 61(4) constitutional guarantee of media freedom,” the report read.
The Commission emphasised that the requirement contradicts constitutional provisions demanding state-owned media to be impartial and accessible to diverse viewpoints. It also framed the issue as a consumer rights violation.
“The Consumer Protection Act prohibits unfair practices and ensures that consumers are not compelled to purchase services unrelated to the product they are seeking,” the ZHRC noted, adding that the public has also complained about the high cost of the fees.
The commission urged authorities to undertake an immediate review of the radio licensing framework to align it with constitutional standards.
It concluded that the current system represents a regression of the very rights the Constitution seeks to protect.
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