Govt rebuffs alleged ZBC US$52 million licence fees ascandal disgruntled official fingered in the ‘chaos’

The Ministry asserted that the reassignment of ministers is a constitutional prerogative exercised by the President for developmental purposes.“To imply that the President would punish a Minister for uncovering wrongdoing is not only a gross misrepresentation of His Excellency’s character but a reckless attempt to create a false narrative of discord where none exists,” the government stated.“The publication was explicitly directed to channel its inquiries to the Permanent Secretary for comment. ”The ministry announced that ZBC is scheduled for its regular audit in March 2026 and committed to transparency.“We will further ensure that the results of this audit are duly tabled before Parliament for scrutiny, in line with established legislative processes… The Ministry expects nothing less than full compliance from ZBC, as there is nothing to hide and public trust must be upheld.”In its concluding remarks, the government urged the public and media to dismiss the allegations. “We call upon the public to treat these baseless allegations with the contempt they deserve,” the statement read.“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.”The reputable publication in question has done the right thing like they always do and since issued a retraction and fervent apology.

Harare- THE government has issued a strongly worded rebuttal to a recent news report alleging that US$52 million in collected license fees is unaccounted for at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC),Express Mail Zim can report. In a detailed statement, the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services on Friday dismissed the story as “replete with unfounded allegations, falsehoods and malicious insinuations” aimed at tarnishing the image of President Mnangagwa, the national broadcaster and specifically targeting ZBC Board Chairperson Helliate Rushwaya. While the government did not name the individual, sources close to the matter suggest the allegations are the work of a recently reassigned government official (name withheld) who is believed to be disgruntled and seeking to settle scores.

The timing and nature of the accusations, which the government has labeled a “vindictive story” are seen as a direct consequence of this individual’s change in portfolio fueling the narrative that the claims are borne of “sour grapes” rather than concern for public accountability. The Ministry’s statement dismantled the allegations, describing the reported US$52 million figure as a “gross exaggeration and a complete fabrication.” It clarified that “the actual revenue collected from license fees is nowhere near the thumb-sucked figure of US$52 million.” To counter the claims of a cover-up, the government confirmed that no official audit has been initiated because of a lack of credible evidence. “There has been no Government audit nor a forensic audit on this matter because no evidence of malpractice has ever been presented to warrant one,” statement further read. “Furthermore, the internal auditors at ZBC have not flagged any such irregularity.