The Broadcasting Services Amendment Act (No. 2 of 2025) has officially been gazetted following its approval by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The announcement was made by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya, through General Notice 1034 of 2025, published in the Government Gazette on 23 May 2025. Said Rushwaya:
THE following law, which was assented to by His Excellency the President, is published in terms of section 131(6)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe—
Broadcasting Services Amendment Act (No. 2 of 2025).
One of the new amendments prohibits the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) and all motor insurance companies from selling motor insurance to individuals who do not have a valid ZBC radio licence—unless they have an exemption certificate from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), or the vehicle being insured does not have a radio receiver.
Legal expert Rutendo Manhimanzi says the main objective of the Act is to rationalise, consolidate, and streamline the legal framework governing broadcasting. She said:
The Bill seeks to align the oversight role of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) with the national Constitution, the Public Entities and Corporate Governance Act [Chapter 10:31], and internationally recognised best practices.
Notably, the Bill underscores inclusivity, transparency, local content development, and corporate accountability, all of which are commendable aspirations. However, certain provisions raise important concerns around institutional independence and operational autonomy.
The Broadcasting Services Amendment Act (No. 2 of 2025) introduces several key changes to the existing broadcasting legislation, with a focus on streamlining governance, promoting inclusivity, and supporting community broadcasting.
One of the major changes is the amendment to Section 4(2), which reduces the number of board members of the Broadcasting Authority from twelve to seven. The amendment also introduces a requirement for gender balance within the board, promoting diversity in leadership.
Section 7(2) has also been revised to redefine the classes of broadcasting services that may be licensed. The updated classifications now include commercial, community, and subscription broadcasting services, among others, providing a more modern and flexible licensing framework.
In Section 10, the Authority is now required to publish a public call for licence applications once a year, subject to available frequency spectrum, through the Government Gazette and a national newspaper. All shortlisted applicants for spectrum-based broadcasting licences must participate in a public inquiry to assess their suitability. However, community radio services are exempt from this requirement.
Amendments to Section 11 introduce measures to promote language diversity and inclusivity. Licensees must now broadcast in all languages spoken in their service areas, supporting the use of constitutionally recognised languages. Furthermore, all broadcasters are required to allocate at least 10% of their content in formats accessible to people with hearing impairments. Another provision under Section 11(5) mandates that all domestic broadcasters must make one hour per week available, free of charge, to the Government for communicating its policies to the public.
Section 30, which deals with the objectives of the broadcasting fund, has been amended to explicitly support the establishment and sustainability of community broadcasting services. This is a significant development, considering the limited revenue-generation options currently available to community radio stations.
A notable amendment to Section 38 prohibits ZINARA and all motor insurance companies from selling insurance to individuals who do not hold a valid ZBC radio licence, unless they have a ZBC exemption certificate or the vehicle being insured does not have a radio receiver.
The Broadcasting Services Amendment Act (No. 2 of 2025) also introduces several changes to the governance framework of the Broadcasting Authority, aligning it more closely with the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act.
The Third Schedule has been amended to reflect these changes. Notably, the terms of office for board members have been reduced from five to four years, and any board vacancies must now be filled within three months instead of six. These adjustments aim to improve governance efficiency and ensure smoother continuity within the Authority.
Amendments to the Fourth Schedule now make the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other staff subject to sections 17 to 21 and section 23 of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act. This includes limiting the CEO to two fixed-term, performance-based contracts, requiring all senior staff to sign performance contracts, and mandating that vacancies be advertised publicly in newspapers. Appointments must be based on merit, while also considering gender and regional balance. Vacant CEO positions must be filled within six months. The amendments also require declarations of assets and disclosure of conflicts of interest by senior staff, and align staff conditions of service with model standards under the Public Entities Act, including restrictions on pay and terminal benefits.
The Fifth Schedule has also been revised. It now requires all licensees to ensure that members of the communities they serve are involved in selecting programmes, participating in operations, and being represented on the broadcaster’s governing body. This measure strengthens community engagement and accountability in broadcasting.
Lastly, the Sixth Schedule introduces a cultural policy requirement for television broadcasters running a sports channel. They must ensure that at least 50% of their programming is made up of local or African content. The goal is to promote local identity, support regional content creators, and contribute to the growth of the local sports industry.
More: Business Times
Do we as Zimbabweans have a say, concerning the running of the Broadcasting Studios. I don’t think so . If we had the first thing we would advocate is that old Mbare studios have over lived their time and an eye sour. Is that the pride of us as Zimbabweans. 2rdly the issue of attaching radio licence to car insurance is daylight robbery with a sharp pen. All the hogwash in buttering and sweetening your narrative on your changes and amendments is a pain in the yeye. Bottom line you swindling money from innocent people for poor content . In every business what starts is investment then reap the fruits of good practice as you go . In ZBC’s instance they want to eat from the high table before they enter the door. Face lift those studios thoroughly and work on your content very much then ask for corresponding rewards.
How, dear learned friends dealing with undear and unlearnered people like me, does one get ZBC to satisfy that his car has no receiver? Does one have to go to ZBC for his car to be inspected first?
I concur with your sentiments that this is daylight robbery. When driving along highways you cannot access ZBC radio stations.
Our very own Government taking the litle salary they are giving its workers,vanogona kuba kuGovernment ibai chaiko
Hakuna munhu anorwisa chakanaka but ZBC is not worthy unless they sat BAZ licence. We have learned lawyers but can’t challenge this robbery. The amount is too high for nothing. All former ZBC employee are vagrants wallowing in poverty yet CEO and cabal vachimora nekugadzika vashandi seri kwezvikadhibhokisi called studios… Zvinonyadzisa kti parliament allowed this coz their cars are exempted.
Licensing each and every car radio is not an international practice and neither is it logical e.g.i do not envisage a moment i will listen to both radios in my two vehicles at the same time. I remember in yester years a tv licence would cover the radio as well,the logic,i presume being that you use one appliance at a time. In other countries, SA for example,they do not have such laws.Even car insurance is not mandatory in those countries.Why are we in the forefront in enacting laws that suffocate our citizens.We seem to have gone full circle back to the oppressive regime that demanded taxes on almost everything the black person owned.Do these authorities feel for the people really?
All these outdated tricks will never become solutions to the crises beseiging Zimbabwe. How much does tge government of Zimbabwe learn good corporate governance from other nations making the grade. Stop prejudicing the citizens.
yaaah ma1
I curse the womb of the woman who gave us this problem…..
We must come to a time when all vehicles are made to pay for all these. The idea of exempting particular vehicle is rather satanic.
Thats when you start relating to the colonial era. Daylight robbery from your own people is always more heartbreaking than from foreigners. Each year we suffer and we cry because of these same people but unfortunately after every five years are bribed with some caps, maize seeds and chicken inn. Frankly we need to blame ourselves as citizens for repeating the same mistake everytime. We have more power than those people. Vote right next time
1. We have not been educated on the exemption procedure.
2. As a Govt pensioner, I am not paid enough to survive, but I am now forced to pay for radio licence.
I hardly listen to zbc radio, as I take the content not of my liking.
4. If this law applies equally to all the Zimbabweans who drive, then all the Presidential escort fleet should transparently display the Radio licences.
Why not implement prepaid system so that the one interested in listening to ZBC will subscribe.. Do they know that there are some people out there who never listen to ZBC. So what would they be paying for
Our very own Government taking the litle salary they are giving its workers,vanogona kuba kuGovernment ibai chaiko
….
GoZ you can never replace revenue you are supposed to be collecting from the industries that you deliberately run down by making citizens suffer. Now if you ask who is exempted it’s top zanu pf leadership and their families. Kahle kahle why lisihlukumeza senzeni thina.
Being robbed in my own country shuwa yooo but why.. Am shocked the President approved this why not approve salary increments Sir President
Most japan cars anogumira pafrequency ta 90.00 and most radio stations anobata more than that frequency. Thats reality
True
Imagine car exemption done only in Harare what kind of doing business is that