Impact This led to the governement, through the Ministry of ICTs conceding to relook the Bill before presenting it back to Parliament for further debate. In essence MISA’s ability to locate the local problem and make it a regional and international agenda, hinged on the country’s Constitution and regional and international instruments that Zimbabwe is party to, maintained pressure on the government of Zimbabwe to further engage stakeholders before the Bill is enacted into law. AFEX Petition to President Emmerson Mnangagwa Following the arrest of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a network of freedom of expression organisations, that include the Media Institute of Southern Africa, petitioned President Emmerson Mnangagwa to release Chin’ono and protect press freedom in Zimbabwe. This also came in the wake of the spike in media freedom violations following the introduction of Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 lockdown regulations and measures in March 2020. Part of the petition signed by a total of 15 organisations, reads: In that regard, we remind the Zimbabwean government that Section 61 of the Zimbabwean Constitution protects freedom of the media and freedom of expression. We urge the Zimbabwean authorities to show a commitment to these constitutionally guaranteed rights by allowing the media to operate freely without any harassment, assault, threats or reprisals for doing their work. All cases of media violations involving police officers and other state security officers enforcing the lockdown should also be investigated. Access to Information • Transparency Assessment Index MISA Zimbabwe tested the Freedom of Information Act through information requests and produced a Transparency Assessment Index report for the year 2020, following enactment of the law in 2020. Several CBOs were trained on how to make information requests and track these information requests with public institutions that were surveyed to determine their accessibility and compliance with citizens’ right to access to information as provided for by the Constitution and in line with the new Freedom of Information Act. 18