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MISA-Zimbabwe statement on the repealing of Section 80 of AIPPA
Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe Chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe)
May 07, 2003

MISA-Zimbabwe welcomes the striking down of section 80 of AIPPA as a victory for all those who believe and are fighting for freedom of expression and rights of media workers.

We note that since the coming of the AIPPA Bill, MISA-Zimbabwe and other media stakeholders have been calling for the repealing of not only section 80 but the whole ACT which we believe does not carry any ingredients of an access to information law. Under section 80, over 34 charges have been brought against journalists and other media persons. It was also clear that the section was being abused to target private media journalists only. Section 80 rendered the practice of journalism criminal and impossible. Despite concerted efforts to dialogue with the concerned Ministry nothing came out of such endeavours. It is with great and relief and vindication that the courts have seen it prudent to strike this section off the statutes books. Section 80 was in many aspects similar to some sections of the repealed Law and Order Maintenance Act (LOMA). There is no doubt that the government simply re-introduced legislation that it knows was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court a few years ago. MISA-Zimbabwe hails the consistency that has been shown by the Supreme court so far.

The striking of section 80 gives us hope that the courts will find many of the sections in AIPPA that affect the work of journalists as equally unconstitutional.

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