Â
The amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) and the Electoral Act, had the backing of President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF) party and the opposition.
The changes were agreed at talks, brokered by South African President Thabo Mbeki, between Zanu (PF) and two factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
The amendments were approved by Parliament in December with the backing of both the MDC and Zanu (PF).
Under amendments to AIPPA, the media will be opened up to foreign owners but foreign journalists remain barred from working permanently in Zimbabwe.
Amendments to POSA allow political parties seeking to hold public gatherings to appeal to a magistrate if the authorities turn down their application. Previously, they appealed to the Minister of Home Affairs, Kembo Mohadi, who the opposition says is bias and an interested party because he is a Zanu (PF) member.
Police will also be required to “enter into dialogue” with the concerned party to explain the reasons for prohibiting a meeting, according to the government gazette.
Critics say Mugabe has used POSA to prevent opponents from organising rallies and demonstrations, and accuse security forces of sometimes using excessive force to quell protests.
he amendments to the BSA include a demand for public broadcasters to be impartial and broadcast news content and programming that is not biased in favour of the government. The amendments to the BSA also allow foreigners to now have majority shares in a broadcasting service.
The amendments to the Electoral Act merely reflect the abolition of the institution of executive mayor.
Analysts say they expect Zanu (PF) to dismally lose the poll to the opposition MDC if the election is remotely free and fair. But there are fears Mugabe could steal the ballot as he was eager to win the poll and then put a hand-picked successor in place.
But more consensus has emerged recently between the MDC and the ruling party in the talks, with the remaining sticking issues being the election date, which the MDC wants postponed to June from March and a new transitional constitution introduced before the vote. The ruling party is rejecting both demands by the MDC.