Africa News Summary : News Headlines : Discussion Forums

Wednesday, January 23, 2002 - Web posted at 4:26:56 pm GMT

HARARE - Zimbabwe's parliament may finally pass a controversial bill on Wednesday that will strictly regulate the media, a state-owned newspaper said.

Critics say the twice-postponed legislation, which has been somewhat amended following domestic complaints and international condemnation, is part of President Robert Mugabe's drive to silence opposition in his bid for re-election in March.

Debate on the bill, which would restrict access for foreign correspondents and impose state licensing of journalists, was postponed on Tuesday amid speculation that some ruling party members feared it could hurt Mugabe at the March 9-10 polls.

However, the state-owned Herald newspaper, in a report that quoted the minister responsible for the bill, said that the legislation would be passed on Wednesday by parliament, where Mugabe's ZANU-PF party holds a majority in the 150-seat house.

"Parliament is today expected to pass...the much talked about Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill," the Herald said.

Officials declined to comment on the report. Parliament normally begins sittings at 2:30 p.m. (1230 GMT).

Speaking to the Herald, Information Minister Jonathan Moyo denied there were divisions within ZANU-PF over the legislation.

"We are pleased that consultations within the ruling party and with open-minded and objective public media houses and editors have yielded a result we are all happy with," he said.

The government had taken back the bill last week to amend it after a parliamentary committee called it unconstitutional.

A copy of the amended bill made available to journalists on Tuesday showed the government had made minor changes but media analysts said the spirit of the legislation remained intact.

"These are fairly cosmetic changes. It will continue to restrict freedom of expression," said Takura Zhangazha, advocacy officer for the Media Institute of Southern Africa.

The original legislation barred foreigners from working as correspondents. The revised bill allows foreigners with permanent residence to work in Zimbabwe. But journalists who are not citizens or permanent residents will be restricted.

The government still plans to set up a state-appointed commission vested with powers to license journalists but it dropped the threat of new penalties against journalists accused of denigrating the office of the president.

However, such reports would still be an offence under the Public Order and Security Act signed into law by Mugabe on Tuesday. It makes criticism of the president a crime.

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), headed by Morgan Tsvangirai who poses a strong challenge to Mugabe's bid to extend his 22-year-old rule, has said it will mount a legal challenge against the new security law.

The MDC said ZANU-PF militants planned to take advantage of act -- which also makes it compulsory for people to carry national identity cards -- to confiscate these documents from MDC supporters to prevent them from voting.

"We have received hundreds of reports from all over the country of people who have had their identity documents confiscated by the ZANU-PF militia," MDC Information Secretary Learnmore Jongwe said in a statement on Wednesday.

There was no immediate comment from ZANU-PF. Nampa-Reuters

•  Big Brother Africa 3: Uti has left the building....THE viewers have spoken.
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Uti has left the building....THE viewers have spoken.
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Lucille rocks the club!