BALLOT News X Issue No. 2 From page 21 accountability through the closure of independent platforms such as the Daily News, Daily News on Sunday, The Tribune and Weekly Times. This law violates regional declarations and principles such as the Windhoek Declaration and SADC Principles and Guidelines on the Conduct of Democratic Elections declarations and principles which are designed to foster democracy, accountability and good governance in southern Africa in order for the region to realise its full socio-economic and political potential as a family united and bonded by the same democratic values and principles. September 2007 Guidelines rests on pressing member states to institute comprehensive media law reforms that will expunge restrictive media laws such as the Broadcasting Services Act and Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The SADC Guidelines espouse the full participation of citizens in the electoral process, press freedom and equal access by all political parties to state media, freedom of association and political tolerance and independence of the judiciary among its other 10 fundamental tenets for the holding of free and fair elections. It is in that regard that the transformation of the ZBC into a truly independent public broadcaster among other contributory factors will go a long way in securing a free and fair environment ahead of the 2008 elections and thus render the SADC guidelines meaningful and achievable. The prevailing regulatory environment as dictated by the BSA and the ZBC's governance, ownership and management structure chokes its editorial independence allowing the Ministry of Information and Publicity free reign over the appointment of its Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and editorial decisions. ZBC has remained biased in favour of the government and the ruling Zanu PF as it has centred more on serving as the public relations arm of the ruling elite and their acolytes in contravention of the SADC Principles and Guidelines, the African Charter on Broadcasting and the Banjul Declarations on the Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa. MISA-Zimbabwe, therefore submits that AIPPA has contributed towards the reversal The editorial stance of the ZBC as a public of the shared regional visions and missions media should therefore change as it has as embodied under the Windhoek failed to meet its public service mandate and Declaration, SADC Principles and conform to the SADC guidelines. Free and Guidelines on the Conduct fair elections include freedom of Democratic Elections, of the press and access to The SADC Guidelines espouse the full participation the African Charter on national radio and television, of citizens in the electoral process, press freedom and Human and Peoples which remains utopian under equal access by all political parties to state media, Rights and the Banjul the existing constitutional and Declaration on the freedom of association and political tolerance and legislative environment, which Principles of Freedom of independence of the judiciary among its other 10 has seen the government Expression in Africa tightening its grip on the ZBC fundamental tenets for the holding of thereby warranting the free and fair elections. serious and meticulous MISA-Zimbabwe submits that attention of delegates to for the ZBC to be respected as the SADC mediated talks a truly independent broadcaster, there is as a single and separate agenda item. The very existence of repressive and need to repeal the BSA and ensure that the restrictive laws such as AIPPA and POSA and new legislation surrenders the appointment The quest for constitutional and electoral the BSA as it relates to the state's control of of its board of governors to a transparent reforms will undoubtedly also feature the ZBC are designed to regulate free speech public nomination and selection process. prominently during the ongoing South African thereby muzzling the citizens' right to freely mediated talks between the opposition MDC formulate and air their beliefs and political MISA-Zimbabwe demands that the SADC and ruling Zanu PF as central and critical to attitudes through open discussions and should therefore insist and impress upon the the holding of free and fair elections in 2008 platforms, more so, through the ZBC which is ruling elite during their forthcoming summit and other subsequent elections thereafter. funded by the taxpayer. which will be held in Zambia this August that Intrinsically linked to the creation of an environment conducive for free and fair elections is the need to transform state broadcasters into truly independent public broadcasters. The long term credibility and compliance with the SADC Principles and X Public service broadcasting therefore plays a critical role in meeting the citizens' desire and hunger for the broadest possible information, advice, debate and analysis to enable them to make informed decisions and choices on issues that affect their daily lives. 22 the transformation of state broadcasters into truly independent entities that reflect the plurality and diverse views of society is a precondition to the holding of free and fair elections