constitution of Swaziland. It fought for the constitutional process in Swaziland to guarantee
media freedom and freedom of expression. In early April the chapter commissioned a study on
the analysis of the draft constitution. The study and the recommendations have been submitted to
the constitutional drafting committee. Given the unresponsiveness of the Swaziland government,
MISA is not very optimistic about any changes being made within those proposed constitutional
provisions.

4.2.6 Tanzania
In collaboration with other six media fraternities Media Law Reform Project has through its
advocacy work, made the government release the Media Law Policy on 11 November 2003. The
Minister in Prime Minister’s Office, Information and Policy, Honourable Mohamed Seif Khatib,
officially announced the policy. Although the media policy contains 80 percent of media and
stakeholders recommendations and is seen as relatively progressive, positive and democratic, it
has some shortfalls that need to be addressed. For instance, gender mainstreaming has been left
out; it has been too broad in defining media and puts more emphasis on obligation of the media
than on the obligation of the state to society. The state does not view itself as having a primary
responsibility.
The project, which is in phase two of its implementation continued campaigning to introduce
Freedom of Information Act through lobbying the government, media and public support of the
six draft pieces of legislation found to impede the media, and to seek more inputs from the
stakeholders. Those pieces of legislation identified in the Media Law Reform Project seeking
stakeholders inputs are Access to the Information Act, Constitutional Amendment Act,
Amendment to the National Security Act of 1970, Amendment to the Broadcasting Services Act
1993, Defamation Act and Protection to the Journalist Sources of Information Act.

4.2.7 Zambia
The chapter actively campaigns for the re-introduction of the Freedom Information(FOI) bill in
parliament. In order to effect the campaign, the chapter approached the minister of information
who indicated that she would present the Freedom of Information Bill in parliament at a later
stage. Her stance later changed. The campaign is on going and is being re-launched. Another
meeting with the minister was held earlier in 2003. Due to the reluctance of the minister to take a
stand on the campaign issue, the chapter had another meeting with the republican Vice-President
Dr. Nevers Mumba at which the chapter raised the need to re-introduce the FOI bill. The Vice
President responded by saying government may not be able to do so due to security concerns in
view of the September 11, 2001 attack in the United States of America.
A media campaign was subsequently launched to popularise campaign for the FOI bill. An
electronic billboard on the need for the FOI bill was erected at a strategic location in Lusaka and
has been attrac ting attention. Television programmes on the re-introduction of the FOI bill were
done on “Media and the Public” between October 2003 and April 30, 2004. This programme
raised a public response by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services to the effect
that she would re-introduce the bill at an appropriate time. Later though at another programme
where she appeared on the forum the minister said the nation would move cautiously before
reintroducing the Bill in Parliament, citing the same security concerns given by the Vice
President. Callers to the live programme "roasted" the minister and demanded that the Bill be
reintroduced in Parliament expeditiously.

MISA Annual Report (April 2003 – March 2004)

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