Reform media laws, government told

By Kudzai Dube

M

asvingo Media practitioners in and around Masvingo took part in the annual Press Freedom Day commemoration in the city on the 9^th of May instead of 3^rd May since it was a Sunday, the celebration were under the theme “ Reform Media Laws Now for a sustainable, diverse and free media.

The events of the day began with a march from the Croco Motors to the Civic Centre which was the venue for the celebrations.

Representatives of Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), students from Great Zimbabwe University, Tell Zimbabwe staff, staff of Masvingo Star and other freelance journalist took to the streets their plea as they advocated for the media laws to be reformed through the march.

After the successful conduct of the march, Charles Austin theatre was the venue for the various discussions which arise in the media fraternity.

Issues which were of much concern were of the need to align the media laws with the new constitution as MISA Chairperson of Masvingo Mr Maunganidze pointed, he also alluded on points like the need for licencing of community radios and that social media should be free and accessible.

The event was graced by a Lawyer, Mr Murerwa who presented the laws which were still yet to be aligned with the new constitution amongst them Access to Information Protection and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Zimbabwe Broadcasting Act (ZBA) and Public Order Security Act (POSA).

Amongst the panellist was Mr Mukusha who is a Social Political Philosopher and he took the task of presenting the state in how is media operating in Zimbabwe which he said is a contested matter since freedom of expression is available but needs to be enhanced.

He also noted that the government when aligning the media laws they should avoid ‘bucket chemistry’ hence for the realignment to be successful they need to take them one by one.

Banda and crew, a theatre group took to stage the importance of media in the society as it provides access to information which might be happening in distance places and with the invention of the internet it has been enhanced.