(MISA/IFEX) – On Tuesday 24 July 2001 Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said his government would table The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bill in the forthcoming second parliamentary session that was officially opened on 24 July. “The Herald” quoted the president as saying that the parliamentary session would consider the Freedom of Information […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On Tuesday 24 July 2001 Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said his government would table The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bill in the forthcoming second parliamentary session that was officially opened on 24 July.
“The Herald” quoted the president as saying that the parliamentary session would consider the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bill, “which should improve information availability to the public by making its release mandatory in situations of demonstrable public interest.”
“The Bill seeks to improve the quality of information which is available to every citizen by insisting on integrity and professionalism in the media, which should be able to source information from most sectors on the strength of the Bill, but without undermining the citizen’s rights to privacy as well as other competing rights, including those related to national security and the protection of children,” said Mugabe.
The president also indicated that the notorious Law and Order (Maintenance) Act will be repealed and replaced with the Public Security Bill, which will try to protect public order while paying regard to fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression, which are guaranteed in the Zimbabwean Constitution.
BACKGROUND:
The speech by Mugabe comes hard on the heels of similar statements by Information Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo on the government’s desire to regulate the operations of the media in Zimbabwe.
Of major concern have been the intensified attacks on the privately owned media by Moyo and Mugabe. Concern has also been raised on the lack of consultation in the drafting of the Information Bill that will be tabled in Parliament in August.
The Public Security Bill is set to replace the 1960 colonial Law and Order Maintenance Act (LOMA). Ironically it is under LOMA, that many nationalist fighters including Mugabe were persecuted by the colonial regime. Under LOMA, Zimbabwean journalists, most prominently, Mark Chavunduka, Ray Choto and Geoffrey Nyarota, have been arraigned before the courts under various charges. The Public Security Bill was first tabled in parliament in 1997, approved by parliamentarians but rejected by Mugabe because it was not tough enough in dealing with the media and other sections of society which are seen as wayward.
The Public Security and the Freedom of Information Bills are feared to be the last nails in the coffins of the independent media in Zimbabwe, as state harassment and persecution would be legally sanctioned.
