Zimbabwe MEDIA AND ELECTIONS Envisaged reforms became even more critical ahead of the 2018 elections to entrench citizens rights to freedom of assembly, association, access to information and free expression. “We fully reaffirm our membership to the family of nations and express our commitment to playing our part in regional and international organisations and arrangements in order to make our modest contribution towards a prosperous and peaceful world order,” said President Mnangagwa in his inauguration speech. While there was a marked decline in the number of cases involving media violations during the period under review compared to the previous year, the severity of the nature of the violations was cause of great concern. The first step towards commitment to regional and international organisations and arrangements, should be through the ratification of instruments such as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG)1, which came into force on 15 February 2012. Five years after, Zimbabwe was still to sign, let alone ratify this Charter. A total of 45 African countries had signed the Charter, of which 30 had since deposited their accession/ratification instruments, but not Zimbabwe. Southern Africa Development Countries (SADC) countries that had either signed or ratified the instrument include, among others, Zambia, Swaziland, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Mauritius and Lesotho. In fact, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Tanzania were the only three countries that were still to sign or ratify the Charter as of November 2017. The pillars of democracy cannot be strengthened through failure to comply and domesticate regional and continental instruments such as the ACDEG, added to the continued existence of repressive laws such as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and Broadcasting Services Act (BSA), among others. These laws impinge on citizens’ right to freedom of expression and free flow of information which is critical in shaping a new democratic dispensation. As the 2018 elections draw closer, transformation of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) to ensure equal and equitable access by political parties and the majority of Zimbabweans regardless of their political affiliations, is of imperative urgency. 1 At the time of writing, Zimbabwe had not signed the ACDEG. President Mnangagwa signed the Charter on 21 March 2018 So This is Democracy? 2017 143