MISA condemns CAF move

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Chapter has condemned the move by Confederation of African Football (CAF) to ban journalists from sharing the same hotels with the national teams during next month’s African Cup of Nations tournament in Angola

MISA Zambia Chapter Chairperson Henry Kabwe said the decision is meant to intimidate the journalism fraternity and is likely to make the work of journalists difficult as they will be separated from their sources.

Kabwe told ZANIS Sport in an interview in Lusaka today that the best way to resolve the impending crisis between the media and national team officials is to engage in dialogue.

He observed that most hotels in Angola are run by private individuals adding that anyone is at liberty to book wherever he wishes to be accommodated unless the hotel is full.

The MISA Chairperson noted that journalist have on many occasions been judged wrongly and therefore denied information which he said is a violation of the media’s freedom to access information.

Kabwe has since appealed to CAF to reconsider their decision saying the move will not only affect journalists but also societies who are the beneficiary of information from the media.

He called on soccer governing bodies not to resort to punish journalists involved in some scuffles before establishing the real cause of the problem.

Last month CAF resolved at a seminar held in Luanda that journalists should not be allowed to share the same hotels with the national teams during the Africa Cup of nations that kicks off next month.

The move is aimed at avoiding confrontations between journalists and national team officials as journalists will only be accorded time to interview coaches through the arrangements by media officers from various associations.

ZANIS