New era of press freedom, ethics and digital growth

Dr Jenfan Muswere

The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services proudly joins the world in commemorating the annual World Press Freedom Day that was slated for May 3.

This year’s commemorations run under the theme “Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media’’.

The Second Republic Government under the able leadership of His Excellency, President Dr ED Mnangagwa, takes plurality and diversity of the print media and the whole media sector as a major priority as it continues to work tirelessly in creating an enabling environment that encourages and nurtures growth through developing media policies and media law reforms.

The Government repealed the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and enacted the following media laws which are expected to enhance media operations in the country:

1. Freedom of Information Act, which grants journalists, Zimbabwean citizens and residents the right to access information held by the Government. This is a sharp contrast to the AIPPA, which impinged and stifled access to information by citizens and media houses.
2. Zimbabwe Media Commission Act, which seeks to standardise training in journalism and mass communication, and establishment of a Media Council of Zimbabwe. The council’s role is to regulate the media.
3. Cyber and Data Protection Act, whose object is to increase cyber security in order to build confidence and trust in the secure use of information and communication technologies by data controllers, their representatives and data subjects.
4. The Media Practitioners Bill, which upon its enactment will allow independence and co-regulation of media practitioners. It will also address areas around the welfare of journalists and the media profession.

Zimbabwe Media Policy

2025-2030

Meanwhile, the Government considered and approved the Zimbabwe Media Policy, whose objectives are:

1. To defend Zimbabwe’s image, sovereignty and territorial integrity; to achieve a strong and converged digital economy;
2. To promote the growth and development of a vibrant, diverse media industry in Zimbabwe; to transform Zimbabwe’s media landscape through the development of modern, efficient and sustainable infrastructure;
3. To promote professionalism and capacitate the industry;
4. To develop and enforce a comprehensive code of ethics in order to raise the standards of media practice in Zimbabwe.
5. The policy will also promote media viability and sustainability;
6. Nurture and instil national values, ethics and citizenship, thereby promoting a shared understanding of Zimbabwe’s history, vision and developmental aspirations;
7. Advance and protect Zimbabwe’s national interests and promote the country’s social, economic, cultural and political well-being.
8. Assert and maintain Zimbabwe’s media sovereignty in order to ensure the country’s independence and self-determination in the production, dissemination and regulation of media content;
9. Foster a linguistically inclusive media landscape in Zimbabwe, where all officially recognised languages are valued, promoted and used to reach diverse audiences and communities;
10. Govern the whole sector, including internet-based broadcasting;
11. The sixth pillar of the policy, which is Local Content Promotion, addresses challenges such as funding constraints, limited producer capacity, the dominance of foreign content and an inadequate regulatory framework;
12. Additionally, the policy supports local cultural preservation, digital technology uptake and initiatives promoting employment, information dissemination and access to information.

 The Zimbabwe National Information and Communication Technology Policy (2022-2027)

We are living in a digital world where digitalisation of information processes and the rapid growth of network connectivity over the last decades have affected our social, political and economic spheres, and changed the way we communicate and how we do business.

The Government of Zimbabwe prioritised ICTs (information and communication technologies) as a cross-cutting measure to reduce the urban-rural divide and enable access to ICTs by all citizens through the revision of the Zimbabwe National Information and Communication Technology Policy (2022-2027).

The policy places more focus on issues of infrastructure development and management, research, innovation and industry development, among others.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) framework

The Government approved an AI framework, which is a collection of libraries and tools that simplify the process of developing and deploying AI algorithms.

It provides pre-built functions and structures, allowing developers to tailor AI models to specific tasks without building the underlying architecture from scratch, thus improving efficiency and standardisation.

Streamline development:

They simplify the creation, testing and deployment of AI applications.

Standardise workflows:

AI frameworks offer a standardised tool kit and methodology, ensuring consistency across different AI projects.

Reduce development time:

They provide pre-configured functions and libraries, reducing the time needed to build and deploy AI models.

Complete development environment:

Many AI frameworks offer a comprehensive development environment with debugging tools, testing harnesses and data visualisation capabilities.

Smart Zimbabwe Master Plan

Zimbabwe, like many other countries globally, is fully aware of the importance of information technologies for socio-economic development and transformation.

It acknowledges that those countries from both the developed and developing world that recognised the potential of ICTs and developed policies and implementation strategies, and invested in ICTs have realised immense benefits for their economies and their peoples.

The Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan will work through key specific sector-focused pillars that act as smart solutions, and these include:

1. a) Smart Government;
2. b) Smart cities;
3. c) Smart agriculture;
4. d) Smart education;
5. e) Smart transport;
6. f) Smart health;
7. g) Smart tourism; and
8. h) Smart mining.

These pillars are anchored in a strong foundation of:

1. Policy, regulatory and standards;
2. Secure and shared infrastructure; and

iii. Skills, capacity building and content development

National Enterprise Architecture Framework

This is a cornerstone of digital transformation efforts to improve Government operations and service delivery.

This framework aims to ensure interoperability and coordination among various Government departments by connecting their ICT systems to the National Data Centre.

The framework seeks to streamline processes, reduce redundancy and combat corruption, ultimately leading to more efficient and cost-effective services for the public.

Key aspects of the National Enterprise Architecture Framework in Zimbabwe

Digitalisation and interoperability: The framework promotes the digitalisation of Government operations and ensures that ICT systems across various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) can interact effectively.

National Data Centre integration: It provides the critical link between Government subsystems and the National Data Centre, facilitating efficient service delivery.

E-Government strategy: The framework supports the development of an e-Government strategy to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness, leveraging national ICT infrastructure to optimise resource allocation.

Digital transformation: It serves as a guiding principle for Zimbabwe’s digital transformation, paving the way for enhanced governance and service delivery.

Change management: The framework includes a change management plan, incorporating digital literacy strategies and a communication plan to support the transition to a more integrated and efficient governance model.

Collaboration and coordination: The framework encourages collaboration and coordination among different Government entities, breaking down silos and promoting a whole-of-government approach.

Benefits of the National Enterprise Architecture Framework

Improved efficiency: Streamlined processes and reduced redundancy lead to more efficient Government operations.

Reduced costs: Optimisation of resources and elimination of duplication result in cost savings.

Enhanced service delivery: Interoperability and improved access to information enable better and more efficient public services.

Data protection: The National Data Centre and the framework’s emphasis on interoperability also raise questions about data protection and the need for a robust legal and regulatory framework.

Digital inclusion: The framework should also aim to ensure that ICTs are accessible to all citizens, including those in rural and marginalised communities.

If responsibly harnessed in other sectors, AI can contribute to humanitarian relief, address climate change impacts and support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We, therefore, urge the media to embrace these opportunities, while upholding ethical reporting standards and safeguarding the fundamental rights enshrined in Zimbabwe’s Constitution.

Base stations

In the spirit of leaving no one and no place behind, the Government is supporting network expansion and infrastructural development, including the deployment of new base stations in areas previously underserved by traditional network providers.  This helps improve coverage in both urban and rural areas.

Licensing of satellite internet service providers

The Government is in the process of issuing converged licensing to satellite internet service providers. Satellite internet service ensures connection of underserved communities, sets the stage for innovation and advancement in educational, medical and other researches.

As we commemorate World Press Freedom Day, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering a media environment that adheres to innovation and ethics, ensuring that technological advances serve the public good without infringing individual rights and the national interest.

Dr Jenfan Muswere is the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.