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Herald Reporter

The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) Act which sailed through Parliament recently has now assumed legal force and effect after President assented to it in terms of the Constitution.

The Act seeks to amend Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) as the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa continues in its expansive agenda of reform.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Mr Nick Mangwana confirmed on his micro-blogging site –Twitter.

“We are on track in our efforts to put in place an open and collaborative media law and policy dispensation.

“We are very happy that we now have the Zimbabwe Media Commission Act. We have licensed new TVs players, community and campus stations. We are walking the talk,” he posted.

The ZMC Act extensively amend AIPPA by repealing all provisions relating to the regulation and control of the media.

It also provides for the investigation by the commission, of any violation which can be investigated under this proposed law.

The ZMC Act is part of the Second Republic to have an expansive media landscape, and is one of the legal instruments that repeal AIPPA as well as align laws with the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

Other media laws include Freedom of Information Act, signed into law in June last year and the Media Practitioners Bill as well as Protection of Personal Information Bill, which are yet to be tabled before Parliament.

Last year Government licensed six new free-to-air private television stations, joining ZBCTV, ending the 64-year monopoly enjoyed by the State-owned broadcaster.

The move effectively freed the airwaves, with private television stations joining private radio stations as the Second Republic implements a raft of political, economic and social reforms to make Zimbabwe an upper middle income economy by 2030.