Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act

It is a media law that was enacted in 2002 by the then minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Professor Jonathan Moyo with the purpose of making public bodies more accountable to the public and protect personal privacy.^[1]

Background

In January 30, 2002 the law was passed in Parliament and signed by President Robert Mugabe on March 15, 2002. The law was passed to rigidly control the media after the establishment of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)and the rejection of the 22 February 2000 draft constitution.^[2]

Criticism

One Cabinet minister Edgar Zvobgo even criticized the bill in parliament as 'the most calculated and determined assault on our liberties in 20 years I have served as Cabinet Minister'. Its inception then saw the closure of local publications notably the then Dailynews and its sister paper The Daily News on Sunday on September 2003. The law has been criticised for giving the government-controlled Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) wide-ranging powers to register or de-register media houses resulting in strict control of the media by the state hence reducing freedom of expression.