HARARE
–
Ministers
on
Tuesday
affirmed
the
Broadcasting
Services
Amendment
Bill
under
which
motorists
will
be
forced
to
buy
radio
licences
before
paying
their
road
tax
and
insuring
their
vehicles.
The
plan
is
to
raise
up
to
US$74
million
for
the
Zimbabwe
Broadcasting
Corporation
annually.
Information
minister
Jenfan
Muswere
told
journalists
after
a
cabinet
meeting:
“The
cabinet
considered
and
adopted
the
Broadcasting
Services
Amendment
Bill,
presented
by
Justice,
Legal
and
Parliamentary
Affairs
Minister
Ziyambi
Ziyambi
as
chairman
of
the
cabinet
committee
on
lislation.
“The
major
objective
of
the
Broadcasting
Services
Amendment
Bill
is
to
align
the
Broadcasting
Services
Act
[Chapter
12:06]
with
the
constitution
and
also
with
the
Public
Entities
Corporate
Governance
Act.
“The
enactment
of
the
legislation
will
amend
several
sections
of
the
Broadcasting
Services
Act
[Chapter
12:06].
Of
special
mention
is
the
amendment
of
section
2A
of
the
principal
Act
on
the
role
of
the
Broadcasting
Services
of
Zimbabwe
which
is
to
regulate
and
manage
the
broadcasting
services
bands
for
sustenance
rather
than
control
of
broadcasting
service
bands.
“The
Bill
will
also
provide
a
new
provision,
which
will
prohibit
the
Zimbabwe
National
Road
Administration
and
every
motor
insurance
cover
to
sell
a
motor
vehicle
licence
and
motor
insurance
policy
respectively
to
individuals
without
the
Zimbabwe
Broadcasting
Corporation
current
radio
licence
or
an
exemption
certificate
from
the
Zimbabwe
Broadcasting
Corporation,
unless
the
vehicle
to
be
insured
is
not
equipped
with
a
radio
signal
receiver.”
The
Bill,
which
is
expected
to
sail
through
the
National
Assembly
and
Senate
where
Zanu
PF
enjoys
a
sweeping
majority,
also
mandates
the
ZBC
to
broadcast
75
percent
local
content.
Critics
say
the
ZBC
is
a
propaganda
arm
of
Zanu
PF
and
has
failed
in
its
mandate
to
serve
as
a
truly
public
broadcaster.
“It’s
well
and
good
that
they
want
to
support
ZBC,
but
where
is
the
corresponding
service
charter
for
ZBC
spelling
out
its
responsibilities
so
that
we
can
hold
it
accountable?
It
can’t
be
licence
fees
without
accountability,”
media
rights
activist
Rashweat
Mukundu
said.
Zimbabwe
has
1.2
million
registered
vehicles
but
only
800,000
motorists
pay
their
licences,
according
to
the
Zimbabwe
National
Roads
Agency
(ZINARA).
With
vehicle
radio
licences
pegged
at
US$23
per
quarter
and
US$92
per
year,
this
translates
to
a
minimum
US$73.6
million
in
potential
revenue
for
ZBC
per
year
which
would
rise
to
US$110
million
if
every
registered
vehicle
paid.