The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) this week said that the
Zimbabwean government should invite media practitioners and other civic
stakeholders to make recommendations on the Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Bill to ensure that it did not serve the interests of
the executive arm of government only.

Rashweat Mukundu, an officer with Misa-Zimbabwe, said in a MISA alert that
his organisation had submitted recommendations to the department of
information and publicity in the president's office in the absence of an
official invitation. But MISA-Zimbabwe would still want the public to
contribute to the Bill before it was tabled in parliament, he said.

At the opening of parliament last month, President Robert Mugabe said that
the Bill should improve information availability to the public by making
'its release a mandatory requirement in situations of demonstrable public
interest'. 'The Bill also seeks to improve the quality of information which
is available to every citizen by insisting on integrity and professionalism
within the media which should be able to source information from most
sectors on the strength of the proposed Bill, but without undermining the
citizen's rights to privacy, as well as other competing rights, including
those related to national security and the protection of children,' Mugabe
told parliamentarians.

Mukundu said: 'We still believe there is need for an official invitation
from the government, for media practitioners, stakeholders and the general
public to make their input into the Bill. This can be done through a process
of public hearings or making available the draft Bill to media houses,
journalists' unions and civic society organisations so that they can equally
make their input before the Bill is taken to Parliament.' --- IRIN