Introducing the Institute of Free Speech and Democracy in Zimbabwe

Many are the thoughts and desires of men concerning issues that affect them.But such thoughts and desires will remain so unless they are expressed and heard by others. Only when such thoughts and desires are expressed will they begin to influence the way we think and the decisions we taken regarding issues of national interests. This is our call at the Institute of Free Speech and Democracy in Zimbabwe. We are not associated with any political party but we are here to lobby for the creation of a free market place of ideas in Zimbabwe. We are an anti-censorship lobby group and we believe that only when Ideas and thoughts are expressed freely will we realise a democratic Zimbabwe, we all cherish for. We are demanding a free press, licensing of new radio and television stations. We are demanding an open and accountable government in which every free Zimbabwean is free to particiate and contribute towards the growth of our Democracy. We are demanding the re-establishment of a public broadcaster which carries out its public mandate with impartiality, independently and fairly giving access to its resources to all Zimbabweans regardless of their political orientation or backgrounds. We are also demanding unhindered academic and artistic expressions in Zimbabwe. Our fellow Zimbabweans who are hard of hearing and therefore devoid of voice speech must be provided with access to the means  and resources that will enable them to speak their thoughts and desires and to be able to engage anyone on any issue that affects them. The supression of thoughts, reason and ideas breds, hatred which leads to uncontrolled anger which leads to violence. This is what we are here to fight against. Censorship is anathema to human dignity and it denies the people who are affected their humanity.

By Lyndon T. Nkomo (LLB Hons (UZ), LLM (Communications Law) (Wits), MBA (UZ), Ph D Student (Wits))