Friday, March 29, 2024

No room for commercial photographers during SADC summit

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Ministry of Information and Broadcasting  Services Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Nyirenda says commercial photographers will not be accredited to cover the SADC Heads of State and governments summit in Lusaka next week.

Mr. Nyirenda said at a press briefing today that only photographers taking photos
for news purposes will be accredited to cover the summit.

He said journalists covering the arrival of heads of state and government at the
Lusaka International Airport will be restricted by way of a cordon, adding that
those that wanting to interview foreign leaders will have to make their own
arrangmenents.

Mr. Nyirenda also said entry to the state banquet will be restricted.

He pointed out that journalists that would like want to link to their home countries
via satellite will have to make their own arrangements with the Zambia
Telecommunication company (ZAMTEL).

Mr. Nyirenda announced that journalists covering the summit will use the media
centre at the summit venue.

The Permanent Secretary emphasised the need for journalists to obtain proper
accreditation before the summit day to avoid inconveniences.

Meanwhile, SADC Head of Corporate Communications Unit, Leefa Martin said SADC
Executive Secretary Tomaz Salomao would hold a press brieifng at Mulungushi
International Conference Centre tomorrow.

Ms. Martin said Dr. salomao could not manage to hold a brieifng today because he was
held up in Johannesburg.

The 27th SADC heads of state and government officially at the Mulungushi
International Conference on 15th August.

10 COMMENTS

  1. What type of democracy do we have? Whats wrong with allowing papparazzis to do their job? Unfortunately, even people who’re supposed to be civil servants sometimes lose their heads and start to behave like hyenas(politicians).

  2. There is a saying, “You can remove someone from the village, but you can’t remove the village out of them!!”

    For LPM who is professing to protect rights, recently, the right to life for those on death row, well, how about just a bit of freedom for the so called commercial photographers?? Is that to much to ask for??

    We want to market our tourism, how very clever to shut the door to all world’s cameras.

    Talk of a USA – United States of Africa – really with such crap??

    If I may ask, what has precipitated this move?

    Backwardness & primitivity seem to be the order of the day, we really can do without such immature thinking, even where there is no problem, we seem we can’t just help it, but go out of our way to create one!!

  3. There is total fear and panic in the govt ranks that commercial photographers from the likes of the Post will interview SADC Heads of states about what they think about the constitution making process that has been hijacked by the govt and MMD machinery to protect their daily interest.This can embarassing to Levy . therefore he has directed his yes boss to oppress the meanful and well respected journalists by denying them media rights. Shame upon chuchu and his primitive oppression of the media. Democracy is still too far.

  4. The government is just being silly by barring photographers from covering the conference. Anyway, even l Maliki did not want us to see Saddam’s gallant conduct during his hanging but you see what happened, the tyrrant died like a true hero and its that last fit that most people will remember about him and not his genocidal acts.

    As for Levy, he should know that technology is much more advanced than him. People will smuggle cameras into that Mulungushi hall and film him slumbering (kayopering) while the conference is ongoing like, embarrasing us in the process.

    I nearly died of laughter reading about Chiluba’s advise to Levy in the Post. Awe sure, that stinking skunk should just shut up, twacula kwafula sure mwebanthu.

  5. #4 Iwe ci Shaka Zulu hold on right there, the other day u were being tribal, nomba lelo uleposa insele kuli ba former kateka, kanshi waba shani wechibuntu we, bushe walibola mukanwa te. U cant just contribute sensibly with being skunk.

  6. #4 Iwe ci Shaka Zulu hold on right there, the other day u were being tribal, nomba lelo uleposa insele kuli ba former kateka, kanshi waba shani wechibuntu we, bushe walibola mukanwa te. U cant just contribute sensibly without being skunk.

  7. If you know democracy and the free-market, which you Zambian politicians pretend to follow, you cannot bar a creative self-depending individual from an occasion that would improve his livelihood. You are interfering with opportunity! Yet you move around telling people the government can’t do everything for you; you must help yourself. So how do I help myself when the government wont let me help myself? You see Emmanuel Nyirenda is some bootlicking journalist who failed to adapt to the modren free-thinking media. Now like all Muzungu wangas he wants to impress Cabbage with strong-arm tactics over helpless and harmless photographers. You are in the wrong civil service man.. Go join the Zimbabwe Information ministry!

  8. My friends, please, I stand to be corrected.

    The commercial photgraphers I believe they are referring to are those hardworking freelance guys armed with old model Nikons and Minoltas [they are often seen at conferences, workshops, and at Arcades on Saturdays] who will take your picture [sometimes without invitation] and then display your photo in the foyer the following morning, expecting you to buy your ‘snap’ for a few bucks.

    Nothing wrong with that really, however, this is a dignified occaison involving regional leaders, and only accredited media personnel with serious business should be allowed to cover the even.

    But it’s always great for your photo album to have you smiling with a Coke during your ‘Report Writing’ workshop.

  9. Look Kataya since when did those guys go to SADC conferences to take pictures? Those know where to ply their trade. But whatever the case if they want to take pictures of SADC then let them go and do so

  10. Neuter, like I said, I stand to be corrected. What then is your definition of a ‘commercial photographer’; i.e. who is the Perm Sec referring to?

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