Zimbabwe High Court orders Zimbabwe Media Commission to suspend accreditation process

Zimbabwe's High Court judge Justice, Happias Zhou on 3 June 2020 ordered the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) to suspend its accreditation process following an urgent application instituted by the Zimbabwe Online Content Creators Trust (ZOCC), according to a news report by Kubatana.net.

Happias Zhou has said that the ZMC should also not proceed with the implementation of its proposed new categories for accreditation.

In granting the interim relief sought by ZOCC, which was represented by lawyer Chris Mhike of Atherstone and Cook, the court said accreditation may only proceed after completion of ongoing consultations with the applicant (ZOCC) and other relevant stakeholders.

ZOCC has filed the urgent chamber application on May 25, 2020, seeking an order for suspension of the ZMC's accreditation process which was set to commence in Harare on May 26, 2020.

In its application, ZOCC has said that the matter was urgent because the accreditation process by the ZMC was set to proceed on the basis of categories that are not provided for at law.

Zimbabwe Online Content Creators Trust said the ZMC should suspend the accreditation process and also be interdicted from implementing the proposed new accreditation categories.

"Accreditation may proceed after the completion of the ongoing consultations with the applicant (ZOCC) and other relevant stakeholders," reads ZOCC's application.