Opinion / Columnist
How a legal loophole can help motorists outsmart the ZBC car radio licence requirement
30 May 2025 at 22:28hrs | Views
This is quite interesting.
There's a loophole in the new Broadcasting Services Amendment Act - and it may be the only legal shield Zimbabwean motorists have.
While much of the public outcry over the law has rightly focused on the injustice of linking a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) radio licence to ZINARA vehicle licensing and insurance, most commentators have missed a critical detail: the law does not actually require a car radio licence.
It simply says one must hold a "current radio licence issued by ZBC." That's it.
This subtle but powerful ambiguity opens a legal path for motorists who already have a ZBC home radio licence.
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Since the Act does not specify the type of licence required, it is reasonable to argue that any valid ZBC-issued radio licence - whether for home or vehicle use - fulfils the requirement.
According to Section 13 of the amendment (which updates Section 38B of the Broadcasting Services Act), ZINARA and insurance companies must only issue services to those who have "a current radio licence issued by ZBC or a valid exemption certificate… unless the vehicle is not equipped with a radio receiver."
No mention is made of a "car radio licence," and no legal definitions are offered to separate different licence categories.
This could be a game changer for thousands of Zimbabweans who feel trapped by a government forcing them to fund a state broadcaster they neither trust nor consume.
Unlike ZBC's car radio licence, which costs US$92 annually, the home radio licence is significantly cheaper: US$40 for urban areas and US$20 for rural areas.
It is still very necessary for motorists who fundamentally object to supporting ZBC to completely remove their car radios in order to qualify for a legal exemption.
This remains the most direct and principled approach - especially when ZBC continues to operate as a partisan propaganda tool, offers poor programming, has limited signal coverage across much of Zimbabwe, and is incompatible with many imported Japanese car radios.
However, for motorists who - for their own personal or practical reasons - prefer to keep their car radios, the law still offers a loophole.
They can lawfully comply without paying the steep US$92 by simply purchasing a home radio licence at a fraction of the cost.
In doing so, they retain their radios while still satisfying the requirement to present a valid "ZBC-issued radio licence" when buying a ZINARA vehicle licence or third-party insurance.
Let's be honest: ZBC no longer serves the public interest.
Once a respected broadcaster, it has morphed into a megaphone for the ruling ZANU-PF party, suppressing alternative voices and glorifying the status quo.
It routinely violates Section 61(4)(b) of the Constitution, which demands that state-owned media be impartial and fair to all viewpoints.
So why should citizens be forced to fund it?
The bundling of broadcasting compliance with vehicle registration is illogical and unjust.
It's an abuse of administrative power and a breach of public trust.
Yet in this desperate move, the government may have unintentionally created a legal escape clause.
Until regulations clearly define what qualifies as a valid "radio licence," motorists can - and should - present their home radio licence as compliance.
This is more than a technicality.
It's an opportunity for lawful resistance against state overreach.
It allows Zimbabweans to obey the law without endorsing the unethical coercion behind it.
It turns a poorly written statute into a small victory for ordinary people.
Zimbabweans have a legal right to assert this interpretation - and they should.
In the end, this is not just about car licences or radio fees.
It's about resisting unjust governance through knowledge and legal empowerment.
And sometimes, that resistance begins with reading the fine print.
© 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/
There's a loophole in the new Broadcasting Services Amendment Act - and it may be the only legal shield Zimbabwean motorists have.
While much of the public outcry over the law has rightly focused on the injustice of linking a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) radio licence to ZINARA vehicle licensing and insurance, most commentators have missed a critical detail: the law does not actually require a car radio licence.
It simply says one must hold a "current radio licence issued by ZBC." That's it.
This subtle but powerful ambiguity opens a legal path for motorists who already have a ZBC home radio licence.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Since the Act does not specify the type of licence required, it is reasonable to argue that any valid ZBC-issued radio licence - whether for home or vehicle use - fulfils the requirement.
According to Section 13 of the amendment (which updates Section 38B of the Broadcasting Services Act), ZINARA and insurance companies must only issue services to those who have "a current radio licence issued by ZBC or a valid exemption certificate… unless the vehicle is not equipped with a radio receiver."
No mention is made of a "car radio licence," and no legal definitions are offered to separate different licence categories.
This could be a game changer for thousands of Zimbabweans who feel trapped by a government forcing them to fund a state broadcaster they neither trust nor consume.
Unlike ZBC's car radio licence, which costs US$92 annually, the home radio licence is significantly cheaper: US$40 for urban areas and US$20 for rural areas.
It is still very necessary for motorists who fundamentally object to supporting ZBC to completely remove their car radios in order to qualify for a legal exemption.
This remains the most direct and principled approach - especially when ZBC continues to operate as a partisan propaganda tool, offers poor programming, has limited signal coverage across much of Zimbabwe, and is incompatible with many imported Japanese car radios.
However, for motorists who - for their own personal or practical reasons - prefer to keep their car radios, the law still offers a loophole.
They can lawfully comply without paying the steep US$92 by simply purchasing a home radio licence at a fraction of the cost.
In doing so, they retain their radios while still satisfying the requirement to present a valid "ZBC-issued radio licence" when buying a ZINARA vehicle licence or third-party insurance.
Let's be honest: ZBC no longer serves the public interest.
It routinely violates Section 61(4)(b) of the Constitution, which demands that state-owned media be impartial and fair to all viewpoints.
So why should citizens be forced to fund it?
The bundling of broadcasting compliance with vehicle registration is illogical and unjust.
It's an abuse of administrative power and a breach of public trust.
Yet in this desperate move, the government may have unintentionally created a legal escape clause.
Until regulations clearly define what qualifies as a valid "radio licence," motorists can - and should - present their home radio licence as compliance.
This is more than a technicality.
It's an opportunity for lawful resistance against state overreach.
It allows Zimbabweans to obey the law without endorsing the unethical coercion behind it.
It turns a poorly written statute into a small victory for ordinary people.
Zimbabweans have a legal right to assert this interpretation - and they should.
In the end, this is not just about car licences or radio fees.
It's about resisting unjust governance through knowledge and legal empowerment.
And sometimes, that resistance begins with reading the fine print.
© 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/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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