Zimbabwean government bans radio and TV adverts for Prophets and native doctors

Zimbabwean government bans radio and TV adverts for Prophets and native doctors.
The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) has again banned radio and television stations from airing commercials for prophets, traditional healers, and unverified traditional remedies.

This measure is part of a fresh effort to implement a similar restriction imposed in 2018, which was largely ignored by broadcasters.

In a recent statement, BAZ Chief Executive Officer Engineer Tendai Kapumha reminded media outlets of the current restriction and urged them to stop running advertisements that could mislead the public. The restriction focuses on promotional content from churches, traditional healers, and traditional treatments that lack scientific approval.

“This letter serves to remind you of the Authority’s directive to all broadcasters to stop the broadcasting of advertising content from churches and traditional healers and of traditional herbs and medicines which cannot be authenticated, since they tend to mislead the public,” according to Kapumha’s statement.

The directive is based on Zimbabwe’s broadcasting legislation. Kapumha referenced Sections 23(a) and (b) of the Broadcasting Services (Code of Conduct for Broadcasters) Regulations, 2023, and Section 27(4)(e) of the Broadcasting Services (Licensing and Content) Regulations, 2004, which require BAZ to safeguard customers against inaccurate or misleading content.

“Considering the Authority’s mandate to protect the interests of consumers, account being taken of the prohibition of such advertisements and infomercials in terms of Section 23 (a) & (b) of the Broadcasting Services (Code of Conduct for Broadcasters) Regulations, 2023, as read with section 27(4)(e) of the Broadcasting Services (Licensing and Content) Regulations, 2004, all broadcasters are directed to discontinue the broadcasting of such content,” concluded Kapumha.

Kapumha stressed that the ban is only applicable to advertisements. The restriction does not apply to chat shows or debates about churches, traditional healers, or traditional medicine, such as the popular Tilder Live, as long as they do not include advertising content.

“Please note that this directive does not stop the broadcasting of discussion programmes or debates which do not contain advertising content on these issues,” said the statement’s conclusion.