The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) joins the rest of the world in commemorating International World Press Freedom Day.
While several media developments have taken place since the last World Press Freedom Day in 2015 it is important to take stock of gains and challenges the media has faced in Zimbabwe since then.
We commend the ruling by the Constitutional Court in declaring criminal defamation unconstitutional and we urge the responsible authorities to ensure that any statutes that criminalise the journalism profession be ammended to ensure those are in line with the Constitutional Court’s pronouncement.
While the scrapping of criminal defamation might call for celebrations in the media fraternity, there is also a need for reflection on responsible and accountable journalism on the part of the media itself.
The VMCZ challenges the media to recommit to ethical and professional journalism in order to ensure that those that want to interfere with the profession do not find excuses to annihilate the media. We also urge the media and members of the public to utilise the VMCZ complaints mechanism as an alternative platform to criminal defamation.
Such a mechanism allows citizens to complain freely in a platform that enhances media professionalism and protects freedom of the press, as well as decriminalising the journalism profession.
Whilst we celebrate this milestone, there is a need to be cognizant of the fact that there is a need to re-align media laws and ensure that the repressive media laws,which include among others the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Broadcasting Services Act, are in line with the new constitution.
The VMCZ urges the government to urgently repeal repressive media laws and amend those laws that are ultra-vires the Constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
We also call on the Zimbabwean government to urgently license community radio stations in order to allow communities to freely express on issues affecting their development and for the communities to enjoy their right to access information and enjoy freedom of expression as enshrined in the country’s constitution.
We also urge the government to put in place a framework that will see the transformation of Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) into a truly public broadcaster.
As we celebrate this day we hope all outstanding issues to do with the media and media reforms in Zimbabwe will be dealt with as a matter of urgency by the government. Aluta Continua.
Alec Muchadehama
(VMCZ Board Chairperson)
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