Media, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the highly unpopular AIPPA would be replaced by three legal instruments — the Access to Information Bill, the Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill and the Protection of Personal Information/Data Protection Bill.
“Cabinet noted that the proposed amendment is in fulfilment of the requirement to align the country’s laws to the Constitution and to deepen the country’s democratic processes and accordingly approved the principles,” Mutsvangwa told journalists during a post-cabinet briefing on Tuesday night.
She said the proposed laws to replace AIPPA would be tabled before parliament during the course of the year.
AIPPA was enacted in 2001 with exiled former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo viewed as the architect of a law that was used to shut down newspapers seen as too critical of Mugabe’s rule.
Together with the Public Order and Security Act, the laws were regarded as twin evils of Mugabe’s rule.
Mugabe resigned in November 2017 following pressure from the military and his own party, ZANU PF.