Brand MISA Zimbabwe @25: delivering stakeholder values on free expression
IN the historic month of August, 25 years ago, a great brand, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe was birthed. It is therefore a humbling and gratifying experience to be at the helm of this institution of great exploits that has consequentially and exceptionally shaped the regulatory environment, media freedom, access to information and safety and security of the media both in Zimbabwe and without.
In commemoration of this strategic milestone, MISA Zimbabwe re-affirms its commitment to retain the leadership mantle as it seeks to break new and higher ground in tackling the challenges of the future.
The commemorations are instructive and of great importance in these complex times of the COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted the facets of life that define humanity.
Looking at the journey of the past 25 years, I’m glad to attest that MISA has survived, emerged as a market leader and a brand of strength through turning a multiplicity of challenges into opportunities.
In its time of existence, the brand interfaced and intervened in the fragile and repressive regulatory frameworks, attacks on journalists, closure and bombing of newspapers, shrinking democratic space and changing communications ecosystems.
Throughout, the organisation discharged itself beyond reproach, setting and taking the local media industry and regional standards to dizzy heights while at it.
But the most uncelebrated, yet defining achievements have been the organisation’s ability to incubate and facilitate for the birth of its sister organisations that have assumed their own life in the process.
This speaks to being the key player in the establishment of the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ), The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ), The Media Centre, the Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) and the Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (Now Media Monitors Zimbabwe).
In recognition of the role played by the organisation, the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), awarded MISA Zimbabwe with special recognition as a strategic friend of the media on the 26th of September 2008. This was in recognition of the splendid work done by the organisation in assisting the union with the setting up of its secretariat.
Further, the organisation has been instrumental in the leadership development for the industry through grooming the young leaders of tomorrow.
The impact of MISA Zimbabwe has not remained landlocked by virtue of the country’s physical location. It is now home to the Regional Secretariat hence the brand strength has far reaching impact beyond our borders.
To this, its contribution to the solution of the challenges impacting on human kind, has been acknowledged as it is now part of the governing boards of the Southern Africa Internet Governance Forum (SAIFG); IFEX, a global network of more than 100 organisations defending freedom of expression, and the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD).
As such it is key to note some of the indelible footprints from the long journey travelled thus far:
A 100% success story through the Media Defence Fund.
Pioneered the multistakeholder approach towards internet governance in September 2015.
Led stakeholders towards the establishment of the Police & Media Action Plan in 2016.
Successfully challenged criminal defamation in 2016.
Successfully challenged a week long internet shutdown in 2019 through the courts.
Influenced the explicit guarantee of rights to privacy, media freedom & freedom of expression and access to information in the Constitution through Sections 57,61 and 62, respectively
Challenged the police to stop attacks on the media through the courts in 2020 leading to a court interdict to that effect.
Pioneered the community radio movement in Zimbabwe and the subsequent literacy on the subject matter.
Influenced the current opening up of the broadcasting industry having run the Free the Airwaves Campaign for almost two decades challenging Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation’s monopoly.
Built a strong access to information movement in Zimbabwe which brings together citizens to actively participate in the law making processes and holding the government accountable.
Hosting the regional secretariat, thereby influencing the agenda for media freedom, access to information and expression in the region and beyond, among others.
As the brand MISA casts its eyes far into the future, 10 years ahead, it does so with the aim to address the complexities borne of the ever-changing contexts in the realm of policy; media economics; expression online and offline; mis/ dis-information; safety and security of the media; sustainability of the media, and media capture, among other challenges.
This is due to the confluence of a multiplicity of factors such as the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic; stifling of online expression under the guise of controlling the pandemic by the majority of Southern African countries.
In addition, a lingering and permeating threat exists on the future of the media in the context of the intricate challenges posed by pandemics, climate change, natural disasters, gender mainstreaming and the role of big tech companies vis-à-vis the quest for supporting and defending a resilient media.
Faced with these existential challenges, MISA Zimbabwe thus remains guided and inspired by the long-standing principles of its founding fathers and mothers who met 30 years ago and articulated their vision and value systems, which culminated in the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration in 1991.
Inspired by these principles and values, MISA Zimbabwe’s Board of Trustees chairperson, Cris Chinaka on the 20th of August 2015, said:
“In rebranding MISA Zimbabwe, we are inspired by three strategic and visionary outcomes that will see the organisation evolving into a knowledge institution, market leader and an expertise-centred institution.”
In the next 10 years, the organisation is focused on remaining as a continuously learning organisation that leads on many fronts. We thus aim to be a cut above the rest as we stand tall on the shoulders of the giants that successfully marshalled the organisation through complex times over the years through their diligent leadership, at both secretariat and governance levels.
The organisation is thus anchored on three major guiding pillars: thought leadership; expertise and market leadership.
Happy silver jubilee! To many more years of leadership!