commercial national radio stations Star FM and ZiFM respectively. control by government or by political or commercial interests. The concentration of ownership of broadcast services by the state and those linked to the governing party betrays the authorities’ drive to dominate and monopolise the broadcast media space under the guise of private ownership. The need for the transformation of ZBC to ensure equal and equitable access by political parties and the generality of Zimbabweans despite their political affiliations, cannot be wished away. This is also buttressed in the findings and recommendations of the government-sanctioned Information and Media Panel of Inquiry (IMPI). Apart from exposing the liberalisation of the airwaves as a charade, the monopolisation of ownership severely compromises Zimbabweans’ right to freely express themselves and access information through independent and diverse media platforms. The application fees which amount to $10 000 inclusive of the initial $2 500 application fee are prohibitively exorbitant resulting in elitist ownership of the broadcasting sector. For instance, application fees in South Africa are pegged at R3 000 which is less than $300 and shockingly 3 233% cheaper. This situation calls for the complete overhaul of the country’s broadcasting regulatory and licensing regime to ensure that citizens’ constitutionally guaranteed right to establish broadcast services is not hindered by undue restrictions and allow for a genuinely diverse and democratic broadcasting sector. Still no public broadcaster on the horizon There was no movement towards transforming the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) into a truly independent public broadcaster. This is despite the fact that Section 61 of the Constitution which guarantees freedom of expression and freedom of the media, sub-section 3 (b), states that broadcasting and other electronic media of communication should be independent of 98 So This is Democracy? 2015 The appointment of an independent ZBC board answerable to Parliament is now of imperative urgency given the new constitutional dispensation as it will go a long in securing the editorial and programming independence of ZBC through a binding Editorial Charter to foster accountability on its envisaged public service mandate. Attainment of community radio remains a dream The country maintained its unenviable record of failing to license community radio stations, 14 odd years after the enactment of BSA, which provides for community radios. In its meeting with the ministry of information officials in October 2015, MISA-Zimbabwe was told that the licensing of community radios will only start after the completion of digitisation. And with government failing to meet its own deadlines to complete the process, the licensing of community radios is unlikely to be done in the first half of 2016. Even if the licenses were to be issued, there is doubt that the process will be insulated from government manipulation and control to ensure only those communities deemed to be supportive of the ruling elite get the licenses. These doubts are predicated on repeated government pronouncements betraying