SAEF expresses serious concern on media freedom in Zimbabwe

The Southern African Editors Forum (SAEF) notes with serious concern the Zimbabwe Cabinet principles on the amendment of the Zimbabwe Media Commission Act and the proposed Media Practitioners Bill that are meant to effect media co-regulation and professionalise the media in Zimbabwe.The Cabinet principles, if applied and enacted into law as announced, will further entrench statutory regulation of the media in Zimbabwe and smuggle back into law clauses from the repealed Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). SAEF implores the Zimbabwe government to reconsider the proposed position in order to enhance press freedoms in the country and to ensure that the agreed co-regulation principle by government and the media sector is properly implemented.Under the recently announced Cabinet principles, government indicated that it would set up a statutory Media Council of Zimbabwe to regulate media conduct. The Cabinet principles are in direct contrast to the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) and the Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef) position on co-regulation captured through a MAZ statement released on 24 April 2024 and a later statement released by the alliance in response to the Cabinet principles.SAEF is in support of the view that the existing complaint-handling mechanism and code of conduct are effective and industry-led and should therefore form the basis for any other structure that could emerge as a result of this law-making process.This is the same position of MAZ, which reaffirms in its position paper its commitment to self-regulation as the most democratic regulatory framework but subscribes to the consensus position of co-regulation reached between government and media stakeholders.Condemned SAEF supports the MAZ position on co-regulation in full and warns that proceeding with the Cabinet principles in their current state will be against the co-regulation principles agreed to between the government and the media sector.Setting up the statutory council will be bringing through the backdoor, re-packaging and resurrecting the abhorred AIPPA, repealed by the Zimbabwean government when the second republic came into office, and this will be against the government’s media reform principles.A similarly suggested Zimbabwe Media Council was set up under AIPPA on 13 September 2012 and was roundly condemned and rejected by the media sector; ultimately, it never saw light of day. It would be a tragedy for the government to seek to revive AIPPA by resuscitating his ghost from the previous law.SAEF urges the Zimbabwe government to undertake a broad consultative process that will involve media stakeholders, media civil society organisations and media regulatory bodies in order to reach a common position on the democratic implementation of co-regulation.A holistic and inclusive model anchored on co-regulation – which means an industry-led regulatory system supported by the government, especially on legislative arrangements, and other stakeholders – is evidently the best approach to ensure solid media freedom, ethical journalism and sustainability.For the current process to yield the desired results, there is a need for clarity of concept, thought and implementation of the co-regulation model. SAEF agrees with Zinef’s position that government should revisit the process to help regulate the media in a progressive – and not stifling way, as may be the case with the current Cabinet proposals, which do not represent the letter and spirit of the wide consultations by stakeholders.As SAEF, we are prepared to walk the media freedom journey with the Zimbabwe government and media practitioners in Zimbabwe.*Statement issued by Joseph Ailonga, secretary-general and Mbongeni Mbingo, deputy chairperson of the Southern African Editors Forum. They can be reached at joseph@alvigordon.com and mbongenib04@gmail.com

SAEF expresses serious concern on media freedom in Zimbabwe

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-16

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SAEF expresses serious concern on media freedom in Zimbabwe

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Namibian Sun 2026-09-16

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