63 SOUTHERN AFRICA PRESS FREEDOM REPORT 2019-2020 ZIMBABWE Report (143) has highlighted continuous socioeconomic and political meltdown, bringing into question the government’s commitment to undertake fundamental legislative and economic reforms. Several journalists were caught in the crossfire of the implementation of the initial 21-day national lockdown, with some being harassed, assaulted or detained by the police and soldiers, despite the media being declared an essential service in terms of the Covid-19 regulations. (144) By Nyasha Nyakunhu Zimbabwe’s new government’s push to amend the constitution prior to the alignment of several laws that are not in sync with the country’s supreme law, casts aspersions on its sincerity to implement fundamental law and policy reforms. Proposed amendments follow the first amendment to the 2013 constitution which came into effect on September 7, 2017 and gave the president unilateral powers to appoint key judicial officials. This move is widely viewed as being aimed at centralising the president’s powers, (140) contradicting the principle of separation of power to allow for democratic checks and balances. Harassment, arrests and assaults of journalists, human rights activists and members of opposition political parties by state security agents continue with impunity, despite the new Zanu PF government’s vow against violence. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association’s recent report (141) noted that Zimbabwe was suffering from political polarisation and poor governance at a time when the worsening economic environment has added to people’s discontent with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government. The report added that the civic space continues to deteriorate, re-establishing an environment of fear and persecution. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has raised concerns about the alarming situation in Zimbabwe following its 66th Ordinary Session held between 13 July and 7 August 2020. (142) The MISA Zimbabwe 2019 State of the Media On the other hand, in July 2020 the Freedom of Information Act has been signed into law (145) and the Cybersecurity and Data Protection Bill (seen to be strong on surveillance of citizens and weak on balancing cybersecurity with the enjoyment of fundamental rights such as free expression online, privacy and protection of personal data (146) ) has been gazetted. MEDIA FREEDOM Reporters Without Borders’ 2020 World Press Freedom Index (147) has positioned Zimbabwe at 126 out of 180 countries ranked globally, noting that extremely harsh media laws are still in effect and, when new laws have been adopted, their provisions are just as draconian as those they replaced. Following the Covid-19 regulations introduced on 30 March 2020, within months MISA Zimbabwe recorded 30 cases involving the arrests, assaults and harassment of journalists and newspaper vendors. The ongoing human rights violations have resulted in MISA Zimbabwe successfully filing for a High Court order barring the police and any other state security agents from arresting, detaining or interfering with the work of journalists. (148) By the end of 2020 the Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill was still making its way through Parliament, while the proposed Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill and Protection of Personal Information Bill were still to be gazetted. If passed in its current defective state, the Media Commission Bill is feared to pose the greatest threat to the enjoyment of fundamental rights such as free expression, access to information and citizens’ right to privacy, as provided for in Zimbabwe’s Bill of Rights. MEDIA SUSTAINABILITY