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Herald Reporter
Despite spirited attempts by detractors to discredit the country, the Government has undertaken several political, legal and media reforms to widen and entrench democracy, Senators heard yesterday.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the Second Republic, led by President Mnangagwa, had carried out legal reforms in the media sector such as aligning laws, proactive disclosure of Government-related information through weekly Cabinet media briefings among other initiatives.
Minister Mutsvangwa said this during a question and answer session in the Senate.
Mashonaland Central Senator Angeline Tongogara had asked Minister Mutsvangwa to explain the Government policy regarding the spreading of false information on social media.
Minister Mutsvangwa said some of the measures to curb the spread of fake news would be catered in the pending promulgation of Cyber Security and Data Protection Bill which seeks to combat the abuse of cyber space.
“The Second Republic under the visionary leadership of President ED Mnangagwa has nothing to hide and as such carried out legal reforms in the media sector aimed at aligning laws to the Constitution as well as match best practices in providing a conducive and enabling environment to the media.
“The aim is to create a vibrant media in Zimbabwe in which plurality and diversity are welcome. This saw AIPPA being repealed and succeeded by the Freedom of Information Act as well as the Zimbabwe Media Commission and the Protection of Personal Information Bills that are currently at various stages of enactment into law. Despite these efforts by the Government, there has been a rampant and mischievous abuse of the Government’s efforts to improve the media environment,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said the objective of Government information dissemination was to marshal the country to prosperity, targeting a middle income economy by 2030.
“To that end, it seeks an informed nation and an informed international community to create a narrative that inspires national development.
“To the contrary, fake news distorts the narrative and as such Government does not condone the peddling of fake news,” she said.
She said some of the strategies to mitigate the spread of fake news was through proactive disclosure and the setting of the national agenda through propagating a true Zimbabwean narrative through mainstream media, and use of social media platforms to disseminate information.
“On mainstream media, the ministry regularly dishes out information on national issues including the post-Cabinet media briefing, regular statements as well as gathering and disseminating news and information,” she said.
“On the digital front, the official Ministry Twitter handle (@InforMinZW) and Facebook page (Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services) are proactive in setting the true narrative obtaining in the country giving indications to genuine media on important issues affecting the nation. Through consistent monitoring of the cyber space, it has become possible to counteract negative unsubstantiated news, in the meantime providing official platforms that provide factual and verified information pertaining to the country,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe had in recent months experienced a systematic and well coordinated attack on the leadership including the President, First Family, Government and the country on social media, with the intention of making the country ungovernable, all geared towards a regime change agenda.
Of late, the minister said, the country experienced an attempt to smear the country through an online movement the hashtag “#Zimbabweanlivesmatter” that gained momentum globally, riding mainly on fake news which sought to portray Zimbabwe as a pariah State that violates human rights.
Online Reporter