News / National
Jessie Majome chickens out, withdraws Constitutional Court application
11 Jul 2013 at 18:46hrs | Views
WOMEN's Affairs, Gender and Community Development Deputy Minister Jessie Majome today withdrew the Constitutional Court application she recently filed contesting payment of television and radio licences to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.
She was seeking to strike down provisions of the broadcasting law that compels people to pay television and radio licences to the ZBC.
Deputy Minister Majome argued that instead of being a public broadcaster, ZBC was being biased towards Zanu-PF and that it was not giving political parties equal coverage.
To that end, Minister Majome argued that Sections 38 (b) (2), 38(c) and 38(d) (1-4) of the Broadcasting Service Act that compel people to pay for the licences and holds defaulters liable for prosecution should be removed from the statutes because they violate the people's rights. She argued that ZBC was not serving the national interests but interests of Zanu-PF hence viewers and listeners were being forced to be associated with Zanu-PF even if they do not like the party.
Deputy Minister Majome, who has a pending case of failing to produce a television licence to the police, also sought permanent stay of prosecution.
She argued that non-payment of the fees should not be taken as a criminal offence.
In a notice of withdrawal filed by Gonese, Jessie Majome and Company, the politician dropped the case without disclosing the reasons.
"Take note that the plaintiff hereby withdraws the constitutional application filed against the respondents and that there be no order as to costs,"
Deputy Minister Majome, who is a senior MDC-T official and a House of Assembly candidate for Harare West, vowed not to pay the television licence.
ZBC, the Media, Information and Publicity ministry and the Attorney General's office, who had been cited as respondents, were yet to respond to the application before its withdrawal.
She was seeking to strike down provisions of the broadcasting law that compels people to pay television and radio licences to the ZBC.
Deputy Minister Majome argued that instead of being a public broadcaster, ZBC was being biased towards Zanu-PF and that it was not giving political parties equal coverage.
To that end, Minister Majome argued that Sections 38 (b) (2), 38(c) and 38(d) (1-4) of the Broadcasting Service Act that compel people to pay for the licences and holds defaulters liable for prosecution should be removed from the statutes because they violate the people's rights. She argued that ZBC was not serving the national interests but interests of Zanu-PF hence viewers and listeners were being forced to be associated with Zanu-PF even if they do not like the party.
Deputy Minister Majome, who has a pending case of failing to produce a television licence to the police, also sought permanent stay of prosecution.
She argued that non-payment of the fees should not be taken as a criminal offence.
In a notice of withdrawal filed by Gonese, Jessie Majome and Company, the politician dropped the case without disclosing the reasons.
"Take note that the plaintiff hereby withdraws the constitutional application filed against the respondents and that there be no order as to costs,"
Deputy Minister Majome, who is a senior MDC-T official and a House of Assembly candidate for Harare West, vowed not to pay the television licence.
ZBC, the Media, Information and Publicity ministry and the Attorney General's office, who had been cited as respondents, were yet to respond to the application before its withdrawal.
Source - herald
