African Media Barometer Zimbabwe

The landlocked country of Zimbabwe has some of the oldest newspapers in Africa. The Lancaster House Constitution of December 1979 became Zimbabwe's constitution when the country became independent from Britain in 1980. Since its independence, there has been no direct censorship. But there has been government control of the print and broadcast media as well as biased reporting of the state media. Press freedom has had a long, tenuous existence in Zimbabwe.

The governments in power have often professed their commitment to press freedom. In reality, however, the communication media has suffered from contradictory tendencies, as political self-interest has too often overrode the public's right to free and unfettered news and information. Section 20 of the constitution guarantees freedom of expression; the right to receive, impart, and hold ideas and information without interference; and freedom from interference with correspondence. It is this part of the constitution that protects freedom of the mass media.

Under normal circumstances, this provision seems to be a straightforward guarantee that Zimbabweans can receive, read, discuss, and share ideas, news, and information freely, without government control or interference. But this is not an unqualified right. For example, restrictions may be placed on the media, citizens, or on what is generally called civil society in the interests of defense, public safety, the economic interests of the state, public health, public morality, public order, or to protect the rights, freedoms, and reputations of other people or the private rights of persons involved in legal proceedings.