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As part of the discussions MISA-Zimbabwe also lobbied MPs on the gazetted Amendment Bill to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

MISA – Zimbabwe Annual General Meeting
On 31 July 2004, MISA- Zimbabwe held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Harare. The membership voted for a new National Governing Council (NGC)

The NGC now stands as follows:

• Chairperson
  Thomas Deve
• Vice Chairperson
  Loughty Dube
• Treasurer
  Elijah Chihota
• Committee Members
  Godfrey Maravanyika
  Millie Phiri
  Abigail Gamanya
  Kholiwe Nyoni

At the same meeting the director, Sarah Chiumbu, announced her resignation to pursue further studies. Rashweat Mukundu takes over from Sarah as acting director and Nyasha Nyakunu takes over the Research and Information officer’s post.

Media Law Handbooks Launch
MISA – Zimbabwe launched the third volume of the handbook on Media Law in Zimbabwe on the 6^th of August 2004. The first two handbooks had been launched on the 29^th of January 2004 in Harare.

The third volume, A Comparative and Constitutional Analysis of Media Laws in Zimbabwe by Tawanda Hondora, provides a comparative analysis of the Zimbabwean laws with laws from other countries and provides information about international norms and standards.

The first handbook by Prof. G Feltoe provides a statement of the law and is entitled Media Law and Practice in Zimbabwe. It provides a concise guide to and a statement of the important aspects of the law relating to the media in Zimbabwe.

The second handbook entitled A Critical Analysis of Media Laws in Zimbabwe by Nkosi Ndlela, provides an in-depth critical analysis of the nature and effects of the present law and deals with issues of constitutionality relating to that law.

Copies of the first two handbooks were distributed to media and legal practitioners who were present at the launch and to media houses. Other copies were donated to tertiary institutions of learning offering media courses that include NUST, CCOSA and MSU. Other tertiary institutions like the University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Open University and UMMA Institute will also receive copies once they are made available from the publishers. A similar distribution strategy is being adopted for the third volume.

MISA Regional Annual General Meeting
The MISA AGM was held in Maseru, Lesotho from 26 – 27 August 2004. The Chairperson Thomas Deve, committee member Millie Phiri, the acting director Rashweat Mukundu and Wibert Mandinde, the legal officer, represented MISA – Zimbabwe. Deliberations included the NGO Bill in Zimbabwe and a press statement was issued. Other issues discussed also covered the media environment in Southern Africa and the transformation of the state owned media into a truly public media.

Submission to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee
MISA-Zimbabwe was invited by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Communications on 30 August to make submissions on the proposed changes to the electoral laws. The submission made by MISA-Zimbabwe was well received by MPs present. The document has been widely distributed through our Internet mailing list.

Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ)
MISA-Zimbabwe working with the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ) and Independent Journalists Association of Zimbabwe (IJAZ), constitute an alliance called the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ). MAZ is meant to work on various advocacy activities on the media and freedom of expression environment in Zimbabwe.

So far MAZ has made submissions to the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights on two occasions. The process of setting up an office to be run by a co-ordinator is in progress.

Article 19 Project/ MISA-Zimbabwe Project
MISA-Zimbabwe’s Information and Research Office worked on a project with Article 19 on how AIPPA has been used so far. Article 19 is printing the report in London and will send copies for distribution.

Resource Center
Renovations of the outbuilding, which MISA-Zimbabwe intends to turn into a Resource Centre, are almost complete.

Gender Summit
MISA-Zimbabwe has been invited to attend the Gender Summit in South Africa from 12-18 September. Head office has sent invitations for the Director, Information Officer, and Advocacy Officer to attend. Kholiwe Nyoni will be attending on behalf of the membership.

MISA-Zimbabwe has been working with FAMWZ, MMPZ and ZWRCN on gender mainstreaming activities. Not much has been achieved in terms of set targets but a proposal has been drafted for the bulk of activities still to be conducted.

Advocacy Meetings
Our members in Hwange and other activists especially those drawn from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), have asked MISA-Zimbabwe to form an advocacy committee that would look into issues such as community radio projects and other activities in the mining town.

Visit the MISA -Zimbabwe fact sheet

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