Source: Govt Has Imported 50 000 Decoders, Says Information Deputy Minister
The Government has said it has imported 50 000 decoders for sale to Zimbabweans at US$15 for them to access local television stations for free.Speaking during a brand Zimbabwe breakfast dialogue organised by the Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking in Harare, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services deputy minister Kindness Paradza said some of the decoders will be given for free. Said Paradza: We want free to air because we want all Zimbabweans to watch. We have so far imported 50 000 set-top boxes so that you can watch all these stations at home just like what you do on DStv.
These decoders are fetching US$15 and we are going to give some for free. This is just a phase.
Paradza urged media stakeholders to apply for licences from the Ministry to import and sell the decoders to members of the public. He said:
All of you, especially in the media sector, bring set-top boxes and sell them. We allow you to do that.
Come to the ministry and we give you a letter to apply because the market doesn’t have these special decoders.
We have more than two million television sets in this country and more people are buying.
If you’re selling that box for US$21, multiplied by two million, so it’s big business.
Some of you are going to complain when Zimpapers Television Network buys these decoders, (crying) monopoly.
I am telling you, go and bring them so that you don’t say there is a monopoly.
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