By AS the drama between Kwese TV and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) continues to take various twists, more rather dumbfounding and Mshocking revelations continue to come to the fore, #MondayBlues can exclusively reveal.
During a hearing attended last Friday, Kwese through its Lawyer Tawanda Nyambirai revealed that they had parted with not less than $6.5 million in preparing for their entry into Zimbabwe and they had already connected more than 20 000 subscribers.
On 18 August 2017, the applicant then proceeded to pay the outstanding fees and in addition the fees for the current year. After paying the applicant then proceeded to issue a press statement where it notified the public of the official launch date. It is only then my lord that there was reaction from the respondents,” he said.
Kwese TV through its local content distributor Dr Dish are contesting cancellation of their licence which they believe was uncalled for and unnecessary. Before cancellation of their license, Kwese had announced a content distribution partnership with a local content distributor, Dr Dish Pvt Ltd which was nullified a few hours later by the regulatory body.
Making his submission before Justice Charles Hungwe, Nyambirai said on 18 August 2017, the applicant proceeded to pay the outstanding fees and in addition the fees for the current year.
“It is only then my lord that there was reaction from the respondents. And by that time the applicant in its papers had continued engaging various categories of employees including those who would install the dishes, technical people and according to the applicant’s founding affidavits 1635 employees in all were accepted in various areas.
An amount of $1, 430 000 loss was incurred in payment to those employees. Equipment worth $4 062633 had already been imported.
Duty on the equipment had already been paid which amounted to $782 716 and the VAT which had also been paid amounted to $534 80 000 and 24 135 subscribers were already on various platforms of the services.
Responding to Nyambirai, BAZ however poured water on the claims saying the figures they had tabled were not adding up. According to BAZ, the money Kwese says it has spent so far and the number of people it claims to have subscribed to their platform within that short period raises eyebrows and they believe Kwese could be cooking up figures just to justify their case.
“There is the question of investment made by the applicant. The first thing my Lord, there is the falsity on information about investment made.
“Only the allegations of numbers and figures. In respect of all other aspects, the applicant should attach letters in support of the agument. In respect of number of employees, contracts ,schedules there is absolutely nothing,” said BAZ during the hearing.
So what could be at play here, is Kwese manufacturing figures just to amass public sympathy for their cause or is BAZ maintain a hard headed approach and attitude towards kwese just to block potential independent broadcaster. Only time will tell.
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