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State
of the Media Report 2009
MISA-Zimbabwe
December 18, 2009
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Introduction
The signing
of the Global
Political Agreement (GPA) between Zimbabwe's major political
players on 15 September 2008 culminating in the formation of the
inclusive government undoubtedly raised hopes and opportunities
for socio-economic and political reforms in Zimbabwe.
It is also within the
context of the GPA that the inclusive government pledged to free
the media environment to allow citizens to enjoy the right to freedom
of expression, association and assembly in terms of Article 19 of
the Agreement in question which deals with freedom of expression
and communication.
Under Article 19.1 of
the Agreement, the parties agreed among other issues that:
The government
shall ensure the immediate processing by the appropriate authorities
of all applications for re-registration and registration in terms
of both the Broadcasting
Services Act (BSA) as well as the Access
to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
More than a year after
the government acceded to the above, no single new media player
or those which were banned in terms of the draconian Access to Information
and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) have been registered or re-registered
respectively, except for the British Broadcasting Cooperation (BBC)
and CNN which were admitted back into the country on the grounds
that they were never banned from covering Zimbabwe.
Political
Context and Key Events of 2009
Progress in the envisaged
socio-economic and political reforms was, however, stalled as the
three major political parties haggled and maintained intransigent
positions over so-called outstanding issues. Outstanding issues
pertained to the appointment and retention of Attorney- General
Johannes Tomana and Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono by President
Robert Mugabe.
On the other hand, the
MDC-M led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai refused to budge on
the issue of the appointment of its Treasurer Roy Bennet as Deputy
Minister of Agriculture and its five appointee provincial governors.
Zanu PF led by President Mugabe insists that Gono and Tomana's
appointments were constitutionally procedural and that the issue
of Bennet would only be finalised pending conclusion of his treason
trial in the High Court.
Disagreement over Western
imposed targeted sanctions and foreign based stations manned by
exiled Zimbabwean journalists in the Diaspora which Zanu PF describes
as "pirate radio stations" further stalled full implementation
of the Global Political Agreement. Zanu PF insists the onus is on
the MDC-M to have the targeted sanctions against senior government
and Zanu PF officials lifted as well as calling on the closure of
the foreign based radio stations.
Ironically, the three
signatories to the agreement collectively agreed that the stations
in question namely Voice of America's Studio 7, SW Radio Africa
and Voice of the People which broadcast from the United States and
United Kingdom should cease beaming into Zimbabwe. And if Zanu PF
insists on the removal of sanctions and closure of the foreign-based
radio stations as the quid pro quo for resolution of other outstanding
issues, then the envisaged reforms are long time coming.
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