Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has directed that ZBC radio and television licences be reviewed downwards to ease the financial burden on citizens.
This was revealed by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, in Parliament on Wednesday.
He told Parliamentarians that Cabinet had approved a downward review of licence fees, including radio and television levies.
Under the new Broadcasting Services Amendment Act, all motorists must now pay the radio licence fee before they can renew their vehicle insurance or obtain a licence from the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara).
The ZBC listener’s licence fee for a private vehicle is set at US$30 per term (four months) or US$90 per annum.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), when we were in Cabinet, a decision was passed to review the prices of the levies and licences. This was done looking at the categories, which amount to 12, which include the Broadcasting Services Act,” said Dr Muswere.
“ZBC, in consultation with the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, has the power to review the prices for radio and television licences, but President Mnangagwa, as the Chair of the Cabinet, gave a directive that all the licences, including radio and television, must be reviewed and they must be brought down.
“That was the decision which was made in Cabinet yesterday, but we use what we call a whole-of-Government approach when we are making decisions.”
He stated that the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, and all line ministries in the Government will review all licences under each ministry, department, or agency.
He reassured that all these reviews are not going to take more than six months.
“All these things are going to be done on a phased approach. All those things are going to be done in categories, which include 12 categories. The Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion is now in the middle of looking into it.
“The decision was taken yesterday (Tuesday), but I believe that the decision is not going to take more than six months.
I expect this job of reviewing licences to be done immediately because the decision has already been made to make sure that all the pricing of licences has been reduced so that all businesses and all the beneficiaries of this country can be served, and to also ensure that the ease of doing business can be done properly,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Government is working on consolidating multiple vehicle licences into a single display disc to declutter windscreens, while also reviewing licence fees downwards.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, confirmed the move in Parliament, stating that the initiative aligns with legislative reforms aimed at streamlining vehicle registration requirements.
“Indeed, we do not want our windscreens to be cluttered. I am happy that this is now coming from this House, the Legislature, and encouraging us to move and execute with speed in coming up with one disc, which we do concur, our Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Information again,” said Minister Mhona.
He explained that the current Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act mandates separate submissions of insurance, registration books, and radio licences.
“If you relate to legislation, this was under the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act, 13 or 14, specifically under Sections 24 and 25, which mandated that for one to be registered, you need to furnish the insurance, registration book and radio licence.
“So, we need to amend the necessary section so that it speaks to the Broadcasting Service Act, in particular Section 38, which makes it mandatory now for you to table that radio licence for you to be registered,” he said.
Minister Mhona assured Parliament that the process was already underway, with Permanent Secretaries from both ministries collaborating on legislative amendments.
The reforms are expected to simplify compliance for motorists while reducing costs, marking a significant step in the Government’s ease-of-doing-business agenda.
