MESSAGE FROM THE ACTING CHAIRPERSON OF THE MISA REGIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL The year under review was challenging for MISA as it embarked upon transformational processes aimed at growing and strengthening the organisation’s advocacy role within each country and in the region as a whole. It is critical for any dynamic organisation to transform itself in response to the needs and challenges it faces in delivering on its mandate. Thus, MISA continues to strive to advocate for the promotion of media freedom, diversity and freedom of expression in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Freedom of expression and media freedom remains under threat in southern Africa: the media alerts issued by MISA in the last 12 months are indicative of the restrictive and stifling atmosphere impacting on the media. MISA will continue lobbying and advocating for an improved media environment by engaging stakeholders, governments and legislators to ensure that the right to freedom of expression is protected and respected. MISA will intensify advocacy around constitutional reforms, media policy and law reforms. As such, developments in Zimbabwe create a window of opportunity for engagement in the constitution-making process and to ensure that press freedom and freedom of expression are enshrined in the new supreme law that is being crafted. MISA will continue to promote public broadcasting and community media models throughout the region, while providing capacity to such ventures to support their sustainability. In the year under review, MISA’s legal support programme has assisted numerous media organisations and journalists facing legal challenges. In some environments, such as Zimbabwe, the continued arrest of journalists means that MISA must take a leading role in strategic litigation to forestall future arrests and harassment. In Lesotho, MISA succeeded in supporting its former chairperson and broadcaster, Thabo Thakalekoala, who was accused of sedition. The case ended in his victory as he was fined an insignificant amount of money and received a suspended sentence. In Zimbabwe, the local MISA chapter assisted 19 media workers with legal fees and representation. Key cases included those of journalists Franck Chikowore, whose charges were dropped after he spent weeks in police custody, and Brian Hungwe, who challenged the constitutionality of a law barring him from working for a foreign media organisation. Hungwe won his case, setting a precedent for other journalists. MISA Zimbabwe also mobilised support for arrested journalist Addrisson Manyere. In Zambia, three cases were settled with the support of the MISA Zambia Media Legal Defence Fund. In Malawi, two cases were supported under the Media Defence Fund. 6 Annual Report 2009