THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has raised alarm over the compulsory collection of radio listeners’ licence fees, arguing that the practice undermines fundamental human rights by forcing citizens to financially support a State broadcaster it claims to be editorially partisan.
In its 2025 Human Rights Situation Report released recently, the commission criticised the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) for its perceived lack of editorial impartiality.
The concern centres on section 38B of the Broadcasting Services Act, which compels a motorist to produce a valid ZBC radio listener’s licence or an exemption certificate when licensing or insuring a vehicle, effectively making payment of the licence a prerequisite for accessing essential public services.
According to ZHRC, this enforcement mechanism becomes unconstitutional when applied to a public broadcaster that does not consistently meet the impartiality standards set out in section 61(4) of the Constitution.
“Linking vehicle licensing and insurance to a ZBC radio listener's licence raises concerns, apart from the licence’s significant cost, about freedom of choice in information sources,” the commission said.
“This undermines the right to freedoms of movement, expression and access to information and obliges people to financially support a State-run broadcaster whose editorial content is partisan in violation of section 61(4) constitutional guarantee of media freedom through the requirement of State-owned media to be impartial, independent and accessible to divergent and dissenting views, a regression of the rights that the Zimbabwean Constitution seeks to protect.”
ZHRC warned that mandatory payment of radio licences eroded freedom of expression and access to information by removing citizens’ freedom to choose whether to support a particular media institution.
It further noted that using vehicle licensing and insurance processes to enforce radio licence compliance places an unfair financial burden on citizens.
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“This restriction not only infringes on the right to information but also violates principles of consumer protection, which emphasise transparency and fair access to information in the marketplace,” the commission said.
“The Consumer Protection Act [Chapter 14:44] prohibits unfair practices and ensures that consumers are not compelled to purchase services unrelated to the product they are seeking. Additionally, the populace also raised concern over the licensing fees, which they considered expensive.”
ZHRC urged authorities to urgently review the radio licensing framework and align it with constitutional standards governing public media and the protection of fundamental rights.
