Why is the government hiding the exemption route from ZBC car radio licence fees?

The recent enactment of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Act in Zimbabwe has sparked justified outrage among motorists across the country.

Among its most controversial provisions is the compulsory payment of a ZBC radio licence fee before a motorist can renew their ZINARA vehicle licence or acquire insurance.

While the government claims this measure is necessary to fund public broadcasting, what is blatantly missing is any clear public guidance on how those without car radios can legally apply for exemption—despite the Act reportedly making provision for such exemptions.

That omission is not a matter of bureaucratic oversight.

It is deliberate. It is calculated.

And it reveals the government’s true motive: to squeeze every last cent out of struggling Zimbabweans to prop up a public broadcaster that has long since lost its legitimacy, relevance, and audience.

Let’s be clear—ZBC is no longer a public service broadcaster in any meaningful sense.

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It has devolved into nothing more than a propaganda megaphone for ZANU-PF, spewing partisan narratives while shutting out dissenting voices.

Its programming is not only politically biased but painfully outdated, uncreative, and unappealing to the modern Zimbabwean.

That’s why millions have long abandoned ZBC—both radio and television—in favour of more engaging, balanced, and diverse content found online or on foreign platforms.

And yet, through this new law, the government seeks to coerce citizens into financing a service they neither consume nor respect.

But the most insidious part of this scheme is the quiet suppression of the exemption clause.

By not providing clear public information about how motorists can legally opt out of paying the ZBC licence fee if their cars have no radio receivers—or if they simply don’t use ZBC radio at all—the government effectively closes that window.

In doing so, it traps citizens into involuntary financial support for a partisan institution.

That is not public service broadcasting; that is extortion.

Motorists deserve to know that they have a legal right to apply for an exemption if they do not have a car radio or never use it to listen to ZBC.

Yet no steps have been taken to inform the public of the procedures for claiming that exemption.

No guidelines have been published by ZBC, ZINARA, or the Ministry of Information.

The result is predictable: confusion, frustration, and exploitation.

Many Zimbabweans—myself included—have never tuned into ZBC radio on our car receivers.

The vast majority of imported Japanese vehicles on our roads have radios that cannot even access Zimbabwean frequencies.

Instead, we use these radios as audio players, connecting via Bluetooth, USB, or auxiliary cables to enjoy our own music collections or podcasts.

Others are even considering removing their car radios entirely and replacing them with Bluetooth music players, just to avoid being trapped in this mandatory licensing regime.

Why should anyone be forced to pay for a service they do not use?

This is the fundamental question at the heart of this issue.

It violates basic principles of consumer rights and democratic accountability.

If ZBC was truly serving the public, it would not need to rely on coercion to secure funding.

People would gladly support it because they would see value in its content, its impartiality, and its inclusivity.

In fact, if the broadcaster honestly believes it is providing a cherished national service, then let it become a pay-per-view station—let the market decide its value.

Why hide behind legislation and force people to pay for a service they neither use nor enjoy?

Zimbabweans have never been shy to pay for quality.

Just look at how thousands across the country willingly spend their hard-earned US dollars each month on DStv subscriptions—often in the range of US$30 to US$70—because they find real entertainment, variety, and balance in that offering.

DStv doesn’t need to beg or bully anyone into paying.

It simply delivers a service people actually want.

But even DStv, despite its dominance, has not been spared scrutiny.

Over the years, many Zimbabweans have voiced frustrations over declining content standards, endless repeats, and rising subscription costs.

As a result, a growing number of subscribers have begun cancelling their packages in favour of fresher, more diverse, and affordable alternatives like Netflix and YouTube.

This proves an important point: audiences speak with their money.

Even a previously trusted service like DStv is not immune to public dissatisfaction when it ceases to meet expectations.

No one is forced to remain subscribed—people make their own choices based on value.

If ZBC had the courage and confidence in its product, it would do the same: compete in the open market and allow Zimbabweans to decide whether it deserves their support.

But it doesn’t—and it won’t—because it knows the answer.

The fact that ZBC has to be propped up through state compulsion is a damning indictment of its failure to evolve, to improve, and to earn public trust.

By failing to publicize the exemption mechanism, the government is treating citizens as passive subjects, not rights-holders.

Let us also be clear: this law does not exist in a vacuum.

It forms part of a broader effort by the state to consolidate control over public discourse, silence opposition voices, and preserve power through manipulation of information channels.

Forcing citizens to fund this agenda—under the pretense of licensing—is both cynical and undemocratic.

Other countries that impose public broadcasting fees have clear, accessible, and widely publicized exemption processes for those who do not use radio or television services.

For instance, in South Africa, a person who does not own a television set can apply for a TV licence exemption.

This process is transparent and well regulated by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).

So why is Zimbabwe doing the opposite?

Why is there no clarity, no publicity, and no accountability on how exemptions can be pursued?

The answer lies in the government’s intent.

They do not want people to know.

They want to squeeze every possible dollar out of every motorist under the pretense of legality—because they know that, voluntarily, very few would fund ZBC.

And that is the true tragedy of this law.

It is not about funding media—it is about funding propaganda.

It is about forcing Zimbabweans to subsidize their own political marginalization.

It is high time the government is called out for this duplicity.

It cannot pass a law that compels payment from millions of citizens while remaining silent on how those same citizens can legally opt out.

That is an abuse of power and a betrayal of public trust.

Every motorist in Zimbabwe should be made aware of their right to exemption, and a transparent, simple, and well-publicized process must be put in place to make that possible.

Anything short of that confirms what we already know—this is not about public broadcasting.

It’s about keeping a discredited regime’s mouthpiece alive at the expense of the people.

We must refuse to be complicit.

And we must demand clarity, fairness, and respect for our rights.

ZBC must earn its keep—not extort it.

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/