In an attempt to improve the media landscape in Swaziland, the government has engaged Commonwealth experts to help review the country's unfriendly media laws. As many as 32 unfriendly media laws currently exist in Swaziland, according to a 2003 study by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Swaziland.
The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service and Information, Cyril Kunene, told media stakeholders at a meeting on 12 May that the review of the laws is scheduled to begin in a month's time.
The expert to do the reviews will come from the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. He is expected in Swaziland within the next couple of weeks to begin consultations, according to Kunene.
He assured all media stakeholders that they will be consulted throughout the review process.
"We appeal to all of you to cooperate with the expert during the consultations for the success of the project," Kunene told the stakeholders gathered at his office. "This is an important development for Swaziland," he added.
The review of the laws will go simultaneously with the drafting of the Access to Information Act announced recently by the Information Minister, Themba Msibi. This is all in line with the country's new constitution and the recently adopted Media and Information Policy.
Media stakeholders welcomed the review of the media unfriendly laws but expressed concern that they were not consulted when the consultant's terms of the reference were drafted. They felt they should have been consulted for their input.
But the stakeholders were in agreement that the review of the laws was an important development for Swaziland which will surely improve the media landscape in the Kingdom.
