Govt Denies Claim US$52 Million ZBC Licence Fees Disappeared

The Government, through the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, has dismissed as “a gross exaggeration and complete fabrication” claims by the weekly Zimbabwe Independent that US$52 million collected through ZBC licence fees is unaccounted for.

In a report published on Friday, 20 February, the paper alleged that former Information Minister Jenfan Muswere had raised concerns over possible fraud at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) before being removed from the portfolio and reassigned to the less influential Skills Audit ministry.

In response, the Ministry said the total revenue generated from licence fees falls nowhere near the US$52 million figure cited.

It further said that no Government audit or forensic investigation has been conducted because no evidence of malpractice has been presented to justify such action. According to the Ministry, ZBC’s internal auditors have not flagged any irregularities. Part of the statement reads:

“The Government strongly refutes the highly insulting narrative that His Excellency the President would reassign a Minister as a punitive measure for raising governance issues.

“This narrative falsely implies that the President condones malfeasance within his administration and punishes those who expose poor governance.

“This is a deliberate distortion of the facts designed to impugn the wisdom of His Excellency.”

The Ministry said ZBC is due to undergo its routine audit next month, with the findings set to be presented before Parliament. Reads the statement:

“We will further ensure that the results of this audit are duly tabled before Parliament for scrutiny, in line with established legislative processes.

“Furthermore, in keeping with our oversight role, we have directed the Corporation to cooperate fully with any applications made under the Freedom of Information Act.

“The Ministry expects nothing less than full compliance from ZBC, as there is nothing to hide and public trust must be upheld.”

The Ministry said it appears the story was placed in the public domain by individuals nursing grievances over their own failed agendas. It said:

“It is deeply troubling that a publication purporting to engage in serious journalism would allow itself to be used as a vehicle for such petty and sponsored character assassinations.

“We call upon the public to treat these baseless allegations with the contempt they deserve.

“We urge media houses to adhere to the principles of factual and balanced reporting and to desist from publishing stories that seek to divide the nation, undermine its institutions, and destabilise State-Owned Entities.”

Meanwhile, the editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, Faith Zaba, has issued an “unreserved apology” in a letter to the Ministry of Information and formally retracted the story. She wrote:

“On behalf of the Zimbabwe Independent, I write to extend our sincere and unreserved apology to you, the Ministry, His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe and the leadership of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) regarding the article published in our recent edition concerning alleged irregularities in licence-fee revenues.

“Most importantly, we wish to convey our profound and unequivocal apology to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

“We deeply regret that our article contained insinuations that may have been interpreted as questioning the integrity of His Excellency or suggesting impropriety in the exercise of his constitutional prerogatives.

“We fully acknowledge that the reassignment of Ministers is a lawful and constitutional function of the President, exercised in pursuit of national interests and administrative efficiency.

“It was never our intention to cast aspersions on his leadership, judgment or commitment to good governance and we sincerely apologise for any offence or reputational harm that may have arisen.

“We further acknowledge that the story included claims, particularly the assertion that US$52 million was unaccounted for, which were not supported by verified official audit findings.

“We accept that there has been no Government audit or forensic audit establishing malpractice in relation to these funds and that internal auditors at ZBC have not flagged such irregularities.

“We extend our sincere apologies to the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, its leadership, and all affected parties. We deeply regret any embarrassment or distress that may have been caused.

“The Zimbabwe Independent remains committed to strengthening its editorial verification processes to ensure that all future reporting is accurate, balanced and fully reflective of all relevant positions before publication.

“Please accept our unreserved apologies.”