News / National
Police impound car over radio licence
19 Mar 2014 at 09:04hrs | Views
POLICE on Tuesday impounded a vehicle in Mutare and charged the owner with breaching the country's broadcasting laws by allegedly failing to display a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) radio listener's licence.
The vehicle, a Toyota duet, belonging to Irimayi Mukwishu, the MDC-T losing candidate for Mutare North parliamentary constituency, was impounded along the Mutare-Masvingo highway and "detained" at Mutare Central Police Station's Traffic Section.
The cops charged Mukwishu, who was represented by Blessing Nyamaropa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, with contravening Section 38 of the Broadcasting Services Act.
The motorist Mukwishi was however released following the intervention of the ZLHR.
Police indicated would summon him for trial once they were ready to proceed with the case while the impounded vehicle was also released.
MDC-T executive member Jessie Majome challenged the legislation in the courts, arguing that people should not be forced to pay the ZBC listener's licence since some do not even listen to the public broadcaster's radio channels.
Most Zimbabweans have resorted to expensive pay-per-view broadcasters, frustrated by the ZBC's poor programming standards and blatant pro-Zanu PF propaganda.
Even the Information Minister Jonathan Moyo recently conceded that the broadcaster's material was unwatchable.
"ZBC is producing content nobody is watching but the workers want to be paid," Moyo told a ZBC staffer in Bulawayo early this month who had asked for a pay rise.
"Where do you expect the government to get the money to pay you when the company's monthly revenue collection does not tally with its astronomical salary bill?
"The government cannot reward you for not discharging your mandate. Do you still have public interest? First discharge your mandate before demanding rewards.
Time has changed. You cannot continue airing jingles such as Hondo Yeminda and Dai Kuri Kwedu Machembere adverts."
The vehicle, a Toyota duet, belonging to Irimayi Mukwishu, the MDC-T losing candidate for Mutare North parliamentary constituency, was impounded along the Mutare-Masvingo highway and "detained" at Mutare Central Police Station's Traffic Section.
The cops charged Mukwishu, who was represented by Blessing Nyamaropa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, with contravening Section 38 of the Broadcasting Services Act.
The motorist Mukwishi was however released following the intervention of the ZLHR.
Police indicated would summon him for trial once they were ready to proceed with the case while the impounded vehicle was also released.
MDC-T executive member Jessie Majome challenged the legislation in the courts, arguing that people should not be forced to pay the ZBC listener's licence since some do not even listen to the public broadcaster's radio channels.
Even the Information Minister Jonathan Moyo recently conceded that the broadcaster's material was unwatchable.
"ZBC is producing content nobody is watching but the workers want to be paid," Moyo told a ZBC staffer in Bulawayo early this month who had asked for a pay rise.
"Where do you expect the government to get the money to pay you when the company's monthly revenue collection does not tally with its astronomical salary bill?
"The government cannot reward you for not discharging your mandate. Do you still have public interest? First discharge your mandate before demanding rewards.
Time has changed. You cannot continue airing jingles such as Hondo Yeminda and Dai Kuri Kwedu Machembere adverts."
Source - newzim
