Zimbabwe: Media Commission Posts Gazetted

Harare — President Mugabe has formally appointed former ZBC newscaster Mr Godfrey Majonga to chair the new Zimbabwe Media Commission, a body whose creation is mandated by the Global Political Agreement and Constitution.

This means once a secretariat is in place, the ZMC will start carrying out its constitutional duties of considering applications for registration of newspapers and other functions.

In a Government Gazette published last Friday, President Mugabe named the former editor of the defunct Daily News Ms Nqobile Nyathi as the deputy chair, as well as other members of the commission.

"His Excellency, the President is pleased to appoint with immediate effect for a term of five years the following members of the Zimbabwe Media Commission from a list of nominees submitted by a Committee on the Standing Rules and Orders Committee of Parliament," the Gazette said.

The members are diplomat Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, lawyer and journalist Mr Chris Mhike and outgoing president of Zimbabwe Union of Journalists Mr Matthew Takaona.

Others are former ZBC chief executive officer Mr Henry Muradzikwa, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe division chief Dr Millicent Mombeshora, journalist Ms Miriam Madziwa, and former Zimpapers board member Dr Lawton Hikwa.

The publication of the commissioners follows interviews held by the SROC last year before submitting a list to the President.

One of the ZMC's mandates is to receive and consider newspaper registration applications.

Other constitutional bodies to be appointed are the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Human Rights Commission.

The principals have since agreed on the list of the people who will sit on ZEC and HRC.

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara told the House of Assembly last week that the party principals had agreed on the individuals to chair the bodies but wanted to brief the SROC and the Judicial Service Commission.

The Deputy Prime Minister said informing the two institutions would ensure buy-in.

Notification of the appointment of members to the ZEC and HRC will be published in a Govern-ment Gazette in due course.


- February 22, 2010 by The Herald

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Source: allafrica.com/stories/201002220652.html (accessed on 23.02.2010)