Campaign financing There is a substantial divide between the finances available to the governing party and other parties. The Political Parties (Finance) Act provides for state funding of a party based on its proportion of representation in Parliament. Only two political parties were eligible for this funding for the 2018 Harmonised Elections. The Political Parties (Finance) Act also prohibits foreign funding to political parties and candidates. Besides this, there were allegations that the incumbent party drew on government resources to augment its campaign. Currently, there are no laws placing limits on electoral expenditure. Legislation capping electoral expenditure could be introduced before the next elections, thus levelling the field for political parties and candidates. In order to promote greater transparency and accountability in election funding, there is also a need to enact legislation or a code of conduct regarding the declaration of assets by parties, candidates and Members of Parliament. Recommendations  The ZEC should take firm action against those involved in hate speech in its many forms, such as disqualifications or suspensions.  Measures to enhance the effectiveness of both national and local multi-party liaison committees during the election campaign should be considered.  Legislation capping electoral expenditure should be enacted before the next elections.  To promote transparency and ensure greater accountability, consideration should be given to strengthening the Political Parties (Finance) Act through the inclusion of provisions regarding the declaration of assets by parties, candidates and Members of Parliament. Media Historical context Freedom of the press has been an issue in Zimbabwe from Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965. Several laws were passed making it illegal to print news reports, ‘likely to cause alarm, fear, or despondency among readers’. After the Lancaster House Conference in 1979, censorship of the foreign press ended; however, the government retained powers to censor the media at its discretion. After independence, the new Republic of Zimbabwe did not implement proposed media reforms to any great degree. In the 1990s, an independent media 42