Africa-Press – Lesotho. Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Chapters have convened in Rosebank, South Africa where they are building the Strategic Plan which will guide this organization for the
next five years. This is according to the statement released by MISA Lesotho Chapter. MISA Lesotho Chairperson who also doubles as the Deputy Regional Chairperson Nkoale Oetsi Tšoana met with his counterpart,
Golden Mauganidze who is MISA Regional Chairperson to discuss among others: developments achieved since the new regional governing council (RGC) assuming
of office earlier this year, challenges impinging on freedom of expression, press freedom, access and receipt of information including safety of journalists
within the region. MISA is a regional body which advocates for promotion of media freedom, freedom of expression and access to information. MISA Lesotho has recently been vocal in calling out
the pieces of legislation which were tabled before the National Assembly without having been reviewed and deliberated upon by the relevant stakeholders.
Those are the Computer Crimes and Cybersecurity Bill, 2021 and Subscriber Identity Module and Mobile Device Regulations of 2021 and the parliament has since
declined to adopt them saying they should go back to the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology for further consultations. Recently MISA Lesotho National Director Lekhetho Ntsukunyane has stated that the
institution dedicates most of its advocacy work towards ensuring a viable working environment for media practitioners as far as access to information is
concerned”. He also noted that the institution “recommits to engaging [in] robust advocacy strategy”. MISA is also vocal in calling out the abuse made to
journalists and laws which hamper the work of journalists as far as access to information and safety of journalists are concerned. Some of the countries
within the region which MISA has called out include Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Represented MISA national chapters are those of: Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The MISA Lesotho delegation comprises the Chairperson, National Director and Programmes Officer Renang Mokeki.
