KEY POINTS
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Zimbabwean motorists must now pay a $92 annual radio licence fee before renewing their vehicle insurance, following a new law signed by President Mnangagwa.
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The policy aims to boost funding for the financially troubled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation but has triggered widespread criticism.
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Opposition figures and citizens have condemned the law as unjust and burdensome, particularly in the face of ongoing economic hardship.
A wave of public anger is sweeping through Zimbabwe following the approval of a controversial law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that mandates all vehicle owners to purchase a radio licence as a prerequisite for obtaining vehicle insurance.
The legislation, passed as part of the Broadcasting Services Amendment Act, has sparked intense criticism from motorists, civil society, and political opposition, who say the policy is out of touch with the country’s economic realities.
According to the BBC, the new law pegs the annual radio licence fee at $92, with payments divided into four quarterly installments of $23. It effectively ties the purchase of vehicle insurance or a road licence from the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara) to proof of compliance with the radio licence regulation.
Authorities argue the move is meant to boost funding for the cash-strapped state broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), which continues to operate at a loss despite receiving government grants and some revenue from advertising.
“The measure is necessary and fair,” said Nick Mangwana, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information, “especially when only 800,000 of the 1.2 million registered cars in the country currently pay insurance.”
However, the fee’s introduction has ignited public fury. Critics describe it as a disguised tax and an attempt to coerce citizens into subsidising a broadcaster that many claim serves partisan interests.
State broadcaster under scrutiny as opposition slams ‘heartless’ policy
The ZBC has long been accused of favouring the ruling Zanu-PF party in its news coverage, particularly during election cycles. This has led to growing demands for media reform and the scrapping of mandatory licence fees altogether. The new amendment instead tightens the requirements, obliging all motor insurance companies to verify that clients hold a valid ZBC radio licence—or an exemption certificate—before selling insurance policies.
Tourists and owners of vehicles without radios are eligible for exemption, but local drivers will have no choice but to comply.
“Citizens are being pauperized left, right and centre,” opposition leader Nelson Chamisa wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Why does the citizenry of this country deserve so uncaring and heartless a leadership?”
Another user described the policy as “an unjust assault on motorists,” noting that it penalises ordinary people at a time when many are already grappling with rising inflation, stagnant wages, and poor public services.
The legislation arrives amid broader efforts by the government to widen its revenue base as fiscal pressure mounts. Still, many argue that strengthening tax collection or curbing public sector waste would be more equitable approaches than targeting the motoring public.
So far, no timeline has been given for a possible review or repeal of the law, but civic groups are reportedly mobilising to challenge the policy in court or through coordinated protests.
