Media law reform and media regulation
Years after the adoption of the 2013 Constitution (PDF), which contains a universally acceptable Bill of Rights, there has not been any meaningful shift in the country’s statutory media regulation legislation and policies to make these constitutional gains a reality.
The statutory Zimbabwe Media Commission is empowered through the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act PDF. (AIPPA) with the registration and licensing of media houses and accreditation of journalists.
The government-sanctioned Information and Media Panel of Inquiry on 18 March 2015 officially released its report and recommendations on Zimbabwe’s information and media sectors urging the government to review and repeal the country’s restrictive media laws.
The report recommends the repeal of laws such as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (CODE) (PDF), Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) (PDF), Censorship and Entertainment Controls Act (CECA) , Official Secrets Act (OSA) and Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act, among others.
MISA Zimbabwe’s push for self-regulation is thus defined by the restrictive legislative environment.
Media law reform news from our chapters
Zimbabwe Parliament applauded for robust debate on ZMC Bill
MISA Zimbabwe is encouraged by the robust and non-partisan debate in Parliament on 24 September 2020 on the Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill. This is a positive and progressive step towards promoting democratic governance in Zimbabwe. It is the constitutional role of...
New information law should set pace for repeal of other draconian laws
The signing into law of the Freedom of Information Act as part of the processes of repealing the draconian and widely discredited Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) is a significant milestone in Zimbabwe’s law reforms agenda that should set...
MISA meets Media Commission over accreditation categories
The Zimbabwe Media Commission has issued a statement clarifying concerns over the new accreditation categories for journalists and other media workers following a meeting held with MISA Zimbabwe in Harare on 22 May 2020. This followed a letter written to the...
Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill needs to be fine-tuned
The Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) in conjunction with MISA Zimbabwe welcomes the release of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services’ report on the Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill, which was presented to Parliament on 10...
Communiqué on media developments in the past week
In the past week, there were two major pronouncements by the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services and the President that are media-related. The two issues are on the ministry’s proposal that Treasury should finance the Zimbabwe Broadcasting...