Zwnews Chief Correspondent
Yesterday the Constitutional Court dismissed an urgent chamber application by the MISA Zimbabwe seeking to live-stream the presidential court challenge brought by Nelson Chamisa, disputing President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa’s win.
MISA’s application came at the time the Judiciary Services Commission had only given the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) the right to beam the court proceedings, which it is expected to share with other broadcasting stations world over who want to beam the event.
In dismissing the case, the Con Court supported its preliminary position of awarding the state broadcaster the rights to beam the event, saying ZBC has enough resources and capacity to publicise the proceedings.
Many have taken the awarding of the rights to ZBC only with a pinch of salt, as they believe the national broadcaster is partisan and therefore compromised in giving fair coverage.
During election campaigns, ZBC was also accused of only giving ZANU PF monopoly of airing its campaign adverts, an indication that it supports the ruling party.
In the application, MISA’s conviction was that not all people especially in the diaspora will be able to access ZBC signals, so live-streaming if granted would bridge that gap.
Meanwhile, ZBC is demanding a huge US$13 000 from foreign media houses who wish to beam the proceedings.
