Judgment No. CCZ 14/201614
Const. Application No. CCZ 67/13
I
by way of copies of reports conducted systema,tically and scientifically over the past five
years by the Media Monitoring Project of .Zimbabwe (MMPZ).
The MMPZ is an
independent organization which monitors andl analyses data and statistics pertaining to
media content and coverage by media houses irj_ Zimbabwe.
21. Firstly, !51 respondent is without doubt quite clearly a propaganda and advocacy tool
for ZANU-PF. It operates as a public mouthpiece for ZANU-PF's commonly known
political campaign positions and philosophies that are exclusively associated with that
political party. Through various documentary, current affairs and news programmes 151
respondent promotes ZANU-PF's political agenda with overt and covert messages that
are quintessentially ZANU-PF in content, ideology and form."
The first respondent denied being biased in favour of ZANU-PF and against
MDC-T in the selection and presentation of programmes on television and radio. It challenged
the accuracy and correctness of the information
con~ained
in the documentary reports produced
by MMPZ. It alleged that tv1MPZ did not even attempt to summarise a quarter of its entire
programming on television and radio.
What is of relevance for the purpose$ of the determination of the issues raised is
the fact that the applicant has based the allegations of infringement of her fundamental rights and
freedoms on the alleged bias in favour of ZANU-PF exhibited by the ZBC, in the selection and
presentation of programmes on political matters on television and radio. It is the alleged conduct
of the ZBC which the applicant says caused her to refuse to pay the licence fee for the television
and radio sets in her possession. It is the same conduct of the alleged biased selection and
presentation of programmes in favour of ZANU ...PF on political matters which founded the
allegation of infringement of the applicant's fundamental rights and freedoms.