In
its
2025
Human
Rights
Situation
Report,
the
commission
highlighted
concerns
over
the
Zimbabwe
Broadcasting
Corporation’s
(ZBC)
perceived
lack
of
editorial
impartiality.
Under
section
38B
of
the
Broadcasting
Services
Act,
motorists
must
show
a
valid
ZBC
radio
licence
or
exemption
certificate
when
licensing
or
insuring
a
vehicle,
effectively
making
payment
mandatory
to
access
essential
services.
ZHRC
says
this
enforcement
is
unconstitutional
when
applied
to
a
public
broadcaster
that
does
not
consistently
meet
the
impartiality
standards
outlined
in
section
61(4)
of
the
Constitution.
It
said:
“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.“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
criticised
the
mandatory
payment
of
radio
licences,
saying
it
undermines
freedom
of
expression
and
access
to
information
by
removing
citizens’
choice
over
which
media
to
support.
The
commission
also
noted
that
enforcing
compliance
through
vehicle
licensing
and
insurance
places
an
unfair
financial
burden
on
the
public.
It
argued
that
such
practices
violate
consumer
protection
principles,
which
require
transparency
and
fair
access
to
information,
and
noted
that
many
people
consider
the
licensing
fees
expensive.
ZHRC
has
called
on
authorities
to
urgently
review
the
radio
licensing
framework
and
ensure
it
aligns
with
constitutional
standards
for
public
media
and
the
protection
of
fundamental
rights.