Johnson Progress

A new mandate requiring motorists to pay the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) television and radio licence fee alongside their annual ZINARA vehicle licence renewal has ignited widespread frustration and accusations of unfairness, as obtaining the legally required exemption proves nearly impossible for those without radios.

Effective July 15th, the onus is firmly on vehicle owners to demonstrate they do not possess a radio capable of receiving ZBC signals to avoid the combined fee.

The sole avenue for exemption is obtaining an official certificate from the ZBC itself.

However, numerous motorists attempting this route report hitting bureaucratic brick walls, describing the exemption process as effectively non-functional.

“Everyone knows the procedure to pay at ZINARA, it’s clear,” said one Harare motorist, who requested anonymity after multiple failed attempts to secure an exemption.

“But when you go to ZBC offices asking not to pay, asking for the exemption certificate the law says you need, there’s no process. They just tell you it’s easier to pay.”

Similar accounts are circulating widely on social media and amongst commuter groups, with many reporting being dismissed or simply instructed to “just pay” the fee.

This lack of a defined, accessible exemption mechanism means countless Zimbabweans who own vehicles but no functional radio, a common scenario for many relying on older cars without modern audio systems or residing in areas with poor reception are effectively being forced to subsidize the state broadcaster.

“It feels like highway robbery dressed up as a licence fee,” complained Tendai Moyo, a minibus driver.

“My kombi has an old cassette player, no radio. Why must I pay for ZBC? I don’t listen to it, I can’t even receive it clearly where I live and work. Trying to get this exemption paper is a wild goose chase costing me time and money I don’t have. Paying the fee, unfair as it is, is cheaper and quicker than the endless runaround.”

The core grievance lies in the perceived injustice of compelling citizens to pay for a service they demonstrably can not use.

For low-income earners and those operating older vehicles, the additional fee represents a significant and unwelcome burden.

Critics argue that the policy, while potentially valid on paper, is being implemented in a manner that disregards the reality of many citizens’ circumstances and fails to provide the necessary, functional mechanism for legitimate exemption.

“The principle of paying for a service you use is fair,” stated consumer rights advocate Sarah Dube.

“But forcing payment from those who categorically do not and can not use the service, while simultaneously making the legal avenue to avoid payment practically inaccessible, is a miscarriage of administrative justice. It transforms the fee into an indiscriminate tax on vehicle ownership, with ZBC the beneficiary.”

ZBC officials were unavailable for immediate comment on the specific difficulties motorists face obtaining exemption certificates.

ZINARA has confirmed the integration of the ZBC fee into its renewal system but deferred exemption queries to the broadcaster.

As the July 15th deadline passes, the chorus of discontent grows louder, with motorists demanding either a transparent, efficient exemption process or a fundamental review of the policy’s application to vehicle licence renewals.