Dismissing the application Mandeya said the Administrative Court has no jurisdiction over the case despite it being the court of appeal for broadcasting licences as enshrined in the Broadcasting Services Act.
He also said the application was not urgent before citing technicalities in the way it was crafted.
Vox Media which applied for a broadcasting licence as VOP FM, argued that the two, if granted permission to launch their radio stations before the hearing of its January appeal in which it challenged the manner BAZ awarded licences would only become an academic argument.
Chief Executive Officer of Vox Media Productions John Masuku said, “Our board will seat and consider the next move.”
In January Vox Media petitioned the Administrative Court seeking an order to set aside the BAZ award of national commercial radio licences to Zimpapers and AB communications on the grounds that its scoring procedures were flawed.
Legal experts say the dismissal of VoxMedia ‘s urgent chamber application is going to bring more problems to BAZ as it will be difficult for it to issue out new broadcasting licenses and conduct some more public hearings until Vox Media’s request is heard.
Both ZimPapers Talk Radio and AB Communications are currently in the recruitment process.
The new radio stations have been described by observers and the public as appendages of Zanu PF like the state- controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation ZBC which has been enjoying the monopoly of the airwaves since independence,32 years ago.
Vox Media Productions was represented by advocate Zvikomborero Chadambuka who was instructed by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
Post published in: News