www.misa.org Attacks on journalists often increase towards elections in some countries in Southern Africa, hence the increased focus on elections. For example, in Mozambique, local government elections are generally fiercely contested, and this raises the need for interventions that prioritise the safety of journalists. Similarly, elections in Zimbabwe have often been marred by violence, with journalists bearing the brunt of the attacks. However, on the other hand, some governments are ploughing ahead with laws that have been considered restrictive of freedom of expression and association. For example, Zimbabwe enacted amendments to the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, infamously referred to as the Patriot Act. Legislative developments Act contains overly broad provisions. It criminalises participating in meetings where sanctions and military interventions are considered or planning to subvert, upset, overthrow and overtake a constitutionally elected government. The Zambian government finally enacted an access to information law, one of the major developments in Southern Africa regarding legal developments on freedom of expression and access to information. In Botswana, the government is also following the example of Zambia and other countries such as Zimbabwe, that have enacted access to information laws. The government said that the Access to Information Bill is set to be gazetted by April 2024. The developments in Botswana came after the Botswana Gazette approached the courts seeking to compel the Water Utility Company to release a report that researched water flow into the Gaborone Dam, information that the media house thought was in the public interest. The court ruled in favour of the Water Utility Company, adding that Botswana does not have a Freedom of Information Act, as parliament has yet to enact such a law. The newspaper argued that the right to freedom of expression also included the right to access information. MISA Regional Annual Report 2023 The Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) This comes as the government of Zimbabwe has re-introduced the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment (PVO) Bill. Initially, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declined to sign the bill into law, raising hopes that the proposed legislation was dead in the water. However, President Mnangagwa has indicated his interest in bringing the bill before parliament. In Angola, the National Assembly approved a draft law on the status of NonGovernmental Organisations. It has been described as considerably limiting in its provisions on the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms and contributes to shrinking civic and democratic space. Just like Angola and Zimbabwe, Mozambique has also introduced a new law to govern the operations of NGOs in the country. Critics of the proposed legislation argue that it limits freedom of association and is meant to silence government critics. 11