MINISTER of Information and Broadcasting Services Chishimba Kambwili says the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) executive should be dissolved because its existence is illegal.
Mr Kambwili said the PAZA executive must be dissolved because it has gone beyond its mandate and is allegedly being funded by The Post.
“PAZA is being used as a platform for causing disunity when it should aspire for high level of ethical and professional standards,” he said.
Mr Kambwili said yesterday that PAZA, which is supposed to also represent the broader interests of the media, has now gone beyond its mandate.
He said PAZA has lost its credibility and must be dissolved so that a new breed of leaders takes over the ‘dying’ association.
The minister also said the current leadership of PAZA has no mandate as it has stayed for over 10 years without holding elections.
Mr Kambwili, who is also chief government spokesperson, said Government is aware of the activities of PAZA.
But PAZA president Andrew Sakala said in a separate interview that PAZA, went into working agreements with the Press Freedom Committee of The Post and other media, organisations in 2004 and that it is not specifically working with The Post.
“We just collaborate with The Post newspaper’s Press Freedom committee. When we disagree with Government, this does not mean that we have decided to always attack Government,” he said.
PAZA secretary Patson Phiri said PAZA has not held an Annual General Meeting to elect new office bearers because its donors backed out.
He also said PAZA is not funded by The Post.
The PAZA executive has been in office since 2003.
Kambwili at it again. The man with a lot of meaningless manners.
Do we need donors to conduct elections? All kambwili is saying is go for elections becoz you are not protected by your constitution. Sakala remember to go with HH he also fears elections
Just ignore this blubbering buffoon. ..who hasn’t even got the sense to retract his silly utterances!!
What of Kambwili himself, he has illegally monopolized “bu lumpen”! Ever since the PF came into power, he has behaved in such a manner that one would think being uncouth and plain gutless stu.pidity is like a gift from god bequest upon Chimbwili and only him alone.
I am disappointed. Why and how did Kambwili forget to issue an Ultimatum for PAZA? Or issue a strong warning and promising that “heads will roll”. This is not Kambwili.