UNDP commends Government over media

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Zambia has congratulated the Zambian Government on the positive strides it is making in enhancing public access to information.

UNDP Interim Resident Representative in Zambia Elizabeth Lwanga says her office has noted with admiration the penetration Government is making in bridging the information gap between the rural and urban areas of the country.

Ms. Lwanga hailed Government’s ongoing Rural FM Radio expansion project under the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and the growing number of community and commercial radio stations which now stands at 70 countrywide as some of the landmark developments aimed at taking information closer to the people.

Ms. Lwanga said this when she and UNDP Country Director in Zambia Ms. Viola Morgan paid a courtesy call on Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services and Chief Government Spokesperson Mwansa Kapeya at his Office in Lusaka yesterday.

This is contained in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Ms. Lwanga spoke highly of the Zambian media saying the country has and continues to maintain high journalism standards.

She said UNDP is keen to supplement Government’s efforts in orienting Zambian media practitioners towards development-based journalism.

She observed that journalists in Zambia tend to focus more on politics at the expense of other developmental issues.

The UNDP Interim Resident Representative disclosed that her organisation would like to help reverse this trend by orienting and promoting specialization among the Zambian Journalists so that they consider reporting on developmental issues.

“Journalists tend to focus more on politics at the expense of developmental issues. The UNDP would like to help reverse this trend by orienting and promoting specialization among the Zambian Journalists so that they accord developmental issues the priority they deserve in their reporting,” said Ms Lwanga.

And Information minister Mwansa Kapeya said in line with its PF party manifesto, Government under the able leadership of President Michael Sata has freed the media so that it plays its full and rightful role in national development.

Mr. Kapeya said the Patriotic Front Government has decided to give the media total independence so that it regulates itself professionally noting that it has operating for 50 years now.

“After 50 years of independence, the Zambian media has matured to regulate itself. That is why as Patriotic Front Government, we have freed the media so that it regulates itself professionally. As Government, our role is simply to provide guidance in terms of policy,” said Mr Kapeya.

Mr. Kapeya said President Sata is passionate about effective information delivery and dissemination to all parts of the country.

He said the Head of State has since tasked his Ministry to ensure that people in all parts of the country have access to clear radio reception through the ongoing Government funded Rural FM Radio project.

The Minister indicated that all districts throughout the country would be installed with FM radio transmitters facilitated by the national broadcaster, ZNBC.

He said Government was determined to change the status quo where access to information has only been a preserve of the people along the line of rail since independence.

“Since independence, access to information has been a preserve of the people along the line of rail. But Government is determined to change the status quo. His Excellency the President has since tasked my Ministry to install FM radio transmitters countrywide to ensure everyone around the country has access to ZNBC radio signal. So far, the project is progressing well,” Mr. Kapeya said .

The Minister reaffirmed Government’s continued collaboration with the UNDP in the development of Zambia’s media industry.

ZANIS