Furthermore, the data protection provisions found in AIPPA are insufficient when tested against the European Union’s current General Data Protection Regulations. These insufficiencies make Zimbabwe an unattractive destination for data and information, thus effectively counteracting government efforts in opening Zimbabwe to business. Information assists citizens as well as business in making informed decisions and choices on matters affecting their lives and operations. This entails proactive public interest disclosure of information to instil transparency and accountability in public institutions. Regrettably, requests for information by MISA Zimbabwe from various public institutions under the annual MISA Regional Transparency Assessment surveys, points to a culture of inefficiency and entrenched secrecy in public institutions. Results of the surveys which are released on the International Day for Universal Access to Information, analyse the ease or difficult with which the public can access relevant information. In that regard, the Parliament of Zimbabwe emerged as this year’s most open and transparent institution while the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe is the most closed and secretive institution. AIPPA should thus be replaced with separate, standalone and focused pieces of legislation that respectively deal with the right to privacy, access to information, administration of the Zimbabwe Media Commission, and lastly, regulation of the media. In doing so, the government should be guided by the African Platform on Access to Information Declaration and African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Model Law on Access to Information in Africa. ❖ Media Professionalism Findings by international observers to Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections on the bias of state-controlled media such as Zimpapers and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, buttresses calls and agitations for their transformation to secure their editorial independence as espoused in the Constitution. Both Zimpapers and ZBC are supposed to serve and fulfil a public service mandate as provided under Section 61 of the Constitution which provides for freedom of expression and media freedom. This has not been the case for decades now owing to interference with their editorial independence by the Executive. 13