The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (ZIMURA) has declared that all churches must now obtain licences for songs performed during services, saying that using other people’s compositions without permission amounts to copyright theft.

The announcement was made by ZIMURA spokesperson Alexio Gwenzi during an interview with broadcaster Oscar Pambuka on Burning Issues, aired on September 15, 2025, via earGROUND TV.

According to Gwenzi, churches, cover bands, and event venues are considered “music users” under Zimbabwean law and must therefore pay licensing fees before performing copyrighted material.

“If you are an organisation, whatever organisation that you are, if you are going to perform another person’s intellectual property, you are infringing on their copyright and you should pay for it, 

“We license any business that is using music to push their business, broadcasters, hotels, lodges, restaurants, boutiques, and television stations. Anyone who uses music,” Gwenzi said.

He revealed that some large churches already comply with the requirement, citing Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa’s UFIC church as an example.

Fees for churches generally range from US$30 to US$100 (R521–R1,736) depending on congregation size and level of music use.

ZIMURA, however, has defended the enforcement, stating that musicians, like any other professionals, deserve to be paid for their work. The organization’s spokesperson, Alex Majazi, confirmed that the copyright law has always applied to public performances, and a church service, by legal definition, is a public event.