Chamisa slams new broadcasting Act

Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has strongly criticised the recently enacted Broadcasting Services Amendment Act, which mandates every motorist to obtain a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) TV and radio licence before renewing their Zimbabwe National Road Authority (ZINARA) vehicle licence or obtaining vehicle insurance.

The controversial Act was signed into law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa over three months after parliament approved it, sparking widespread debate.

At the heart of the controversy is clause 15, which requires all vehicle owners to pay the ZBC licence fee as a prerequisite for renewing their ZINARA licence and acquiring insurance.

Speaking on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Chamisa described the new law as harsh and unfair.

"A new law requiring motorists to buy a radio licence before renewing their vehicle licences that has been signed into law is too draconian, anti-citizens and outrightly heartless," Chamisa said.

He questioned how citizens are expected to cope with the growing financial burdens.

"So a person who owns a car pays Zinara, ZBC, insurance and toll gate  -  how are people supposed to survive? When shall all this end? Citizens are being pauperised left, right and centre. Why does the citizenry of this country deserve such uncaring and heartless leadership?" he asked.

Chamisa also condemned the law as unjustified, pointing out that ordinary motorists should not bear the cost of funding a broadcaster that has allegedly turned into a partisan propaganda outlet for the ruling Zanu-PF party.

"What are people supposed to do with all this cruel taxation? Why must I pay for a service I don't use? Why should I pay for partisan propaganda, where I am attacked in person and demonised from dawn to dusk? Do we have a parliament in Zimbabwe?" he added.

Earlier this month, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe urged the Minister of Information, Jenfan Muswere, to reconsider the bill and amend it in line with recommendations from public consultations held in December last year.

The parliamentary report on the bill's public hearings highlighted widespread concerns that clause 15 is discriminatory, as it targets vehicle owners specifically while exempting other segments of the population.

The enactment of this law is expected to intensify debates on media freedom, government funding mechanisms, and citizens' rights amid growing economic hardships in Zimbabwe.