hence the governments which practice it often hide behind other less controversial grounds such as morality or religious theories to censor information for political ends. The Shaheed Report has gathered overwhelming response and support for the view that ‘the suppression of political dissent, the quest for nation-building and pursuit of hegemonic policies has always been prominent reasons for art censorship’. This is notwithstanding the timeless principle of democratic accountability that ‘public figures, including those exercising the highest political authority, are legitimately subject to criticism and political opposition’.48 Consequently, and as is the case with Zimbabwe, one discovers the proliferation of laws that seek to punish utterances against government, head of state or key executive organs such as the police. Fourth, the world over, the religion censorship ideology has resulted in materials considered offensive to certain religions being banned, and where authorities fail to do so, followers of that religion often take matters into their own hands by destroying the materials offending their religion. Although not common in Zimbabwe, this theory is closely linked to the morality ideology. As generally stated above, the essence of censorship is suppression of expression. Censorship has always been practiced to the extent of almost becoming a universal phenomenon. It has surfaced in one form or another at different times in different societies governed by different systems.49 Freedom of expression and censorship pull in different directions. Their aims and purposes are conflicting. It is common that for each number of people who wish to speak and spread the truth as they see it, there are that many more people who do not wish to hear it and do not want others to hear it, especially if what is said or written challenges the conventional beliefs and practices50. Shaheed Report, para. 45. The Article 19 Freedom of Expression Handbook, International and Comparative Law, Standards and Procedures, available on https://www.article19.org/data/files/pdfs/publications/1993-handbook.pdf 50 In Re Munhumeso and Ors 1994 (1) ZLR 49 (SC) 48 49 41 | P a g e