The Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) says there is nothing wrong with it receiving funding from the Post newspapers as alleged by Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimba Kambwili.
PAZA Executive Secretary Patson Phiri says PAZA can receive funding from any organization as long as such an organisation is not an enemy of the government legally.
Mr. Phiri says PAZA is free to receive funding from the Post if the newspaper has money to fund its operations, because it is the minister who may have a problem with the Post and not PAZA.
He says he doubts the Minister’s intention to dissolve PAZA means well, stating the association’s mandate remains to protect all media houses in the country.
Below is the full PAZA statement
Following a statement by Minister Chishimba Kambwili and Government spokesperson in today’s Daily Mail, PAZA wishes to state as follows:
1. Arrangements to hold the delayed AGM started in October last year. Letters have been written to media heads to financially contribute towards the holding of the AGM but funding is yet to be released for the dates to be set. We have commitment only from Zambia Daily Mail so far that they will fund their members for the duration of the AGM. Times of Zambia, ZNBC and ZANIS are yet to respond.
2. It is difficult to comment on the call for the dissolutions of the PAZA board at this stage because the constitution provides that the board shall dissolve soon before the election of the new office bearers at a duly organised AGM.
As such, we are hopeful that the current board will dissolve when all parameters for the conduct of the AGM are met. It must be noted that the elective AGM should have been held about 6 years but it delayed because donors pulled out at the last minute after the budget had been and approved.
Several attempts have been made since then to find means and ways of holding the AGM there has been finances. It is a requirement that the quota must be met for the AGM to be legally bindind. In short, the AGM is being planned with the input of media heads of member institutions. We can only call for calm from the Minister of Information.
3. Allegations that PAZA is funded by the Post should be put into context. In about 2005, former PAZA vice president Amos Chanda signed a memorandum of understanding with the Press Freedom Committee of the Post Newspapers. In that agreement, it was agreed that the two institutions would do joint lobby and protect the interest of the media, journalists and press freedom.
Mr Chanda defended the agreement before the full board of PAZA which ignorantly rejected it at the time. Eventually the MoU was endorsed and provided that PFC would assist PAZA with K10,000 every month for the administrative requirements of the office. PAZA does not regret this MoU with PFC because it has similar relations with other media associations and institutions.
PAZA is donor funded and cannot reject any donor on account of any considerations. Suffice to say, there have been financial challenges and at times, PAZA has not received this funding. The total amount of money received in the year 2015 was K15,000 and we are yet to receive any money this year. Should any amount be released, all the media houses will be informed. I can also openly state that my office has submitted a request for the Post to release another K10,000 for rentals.
It must be said that the MoU will be subject to ratification by the members at the AGM and they will decide whether to annul it or continue with it. PAZA will continue to receive funding where it is available from all legal institutions both within Zambia and abroad.
4. The observations by Mr Kamvwili are well noted. However, PAZA will work with the members to generate a solution to the delayed AGM to ensure a smooth transition from the old board to the new team.
Patson Phiri
Executive Secretary
iyo kwena ati an independent body so useless
Post or not, UPND or not- PF or not it doesn’t matter
Miles Sampa will be the President of the republic of Zambia in August
Believe that
Thanks
Bb2014
He who pays the piper, calls the tunes.
Iwe Kambwili, ni PAZA yanyoko?
An organization such as PAZA just like LAZ or EIZ, ought to have subscription fees. Do they have this? If not then it not worth its existence. It must be dissolved.
We know that membership to PAZA has been not easy to recruit because members have divided interests as all look forward to be appointed by incoming government. They have failed to raise upkeep money from their being journalists hence this desperation. Learn from Richard Sakala, from prison to riches based on his professionalism not slander and sensationalism like Mmembe. That is why Post if not PAST has dwindling fortunes whereas the case is true for Daily Nation.
So a big organisation like PAZA operating like a Lions Club even it knows how to raise maximise it’s funds…how then such an organisation criticise the Post if it’s biggest sponsors?
Miles Sampa will NOT pull through in August 2016.
He is still in the learning process.
WHO IS THIS MILES SAMPLE WHAT HAS HE DONE TO GET A VOTE FROM US. LEARN TO RIDE BEHIND U END UP IN A DITCH. IN ZED WE HAVE NO OPPOSITION WE JUST NEED TO FORM NEW PARTIES NOT IN RURAL PROVINCES BUT LET IT BE IN CB OR LUSAKA WHERE TRIBES ARE MIXED REMEMBER TO INCLUDE ALL TRIBES FROM BEGINING NOT LIKE DF WHERE U START WITH CALL BOYS
What are you talking about?
I don’t understand your post!!
There is a lot Patriotic Zambians have to do to get rid of Fred Mmembe’s control of Supposed to be Independent Institutions. Just how many people and institutions are in Fred Mmembe’s pockets? This Country is has become ROTTEN to the Core. You can NO LONGER look at PAZA, MISA, FODEP , LAZ, AND THE CHURCH etc to provide any Independent guidance on national Issues. Everything has to be seen through Fred Mmembe’s Spectacles. No wonder we have People like Suzzane Matale, Bishop Mambo and the Hoarde of Mmembe’s Vuvuzela’s embarrassing themselves with senseless statements. How can Suzzane Matale justify UPND thuggery? Let all those who are in Mmembe’s pockets realize that Mmembe is a BOMB. Zambia up in Flames is okay for Mmembe if he doesnt control State Institutions. This we wont…
*There is a lot Patriotic Zambians have to do to get rid of Fred Mmembe’s control of Supposed to be Independent Institutions. Just how many people and institutions are in Fred Mmembe’s pockets? This Country is has become ROTTEN to the Core. You can NO LONGER look at PAZA, MISA, FODEP , LAZ, AND THE CHURCH etc to provide any Independent guidance on national Issues. Everything has to be seen through Fred Mmembe’s Spectacles. No wonder we have People like Suzzane Matale, Bishop Mambo and the Hoarde of Mmembe’s Vuvuzela’s embarrassing themselves with senseless statements. How can Suzzane Matale justify UPND thuggery? Let all those who are in Mmembe’s pockets realize that Mmembe is a BOMB. Zambia up in Flames is okay for Mmembe if he doesnt control State Institutions. This we wont…
**There is a lot Patriotic Zambians have to do to get rid of Fred Mmembe’s control of Supposed to be Independent Institutions. Just how many people and institutions are in Fred Mmembe’s pockets? This Country is has become ROTTEN to the Core. You can NO LONGER look at PAZA, MISA, FODEP , LAZ, AND THE CHURCH etc to provide any Independent guidance on national Issues. Everything has to be seen through Fred Mmembe’s Spectacles. No wonder we have People like Suzzane Matale, Bishop Mambo and the Hoarde of Mmembe’s Vuvuzela’s embarrassing themselves with senseless statements. How can Suzzane Matale justify UPND thuggery? Let all those who are in Mmembe’s pockets realize that Mmembe is a BOMB. Zambia up in Flames is okay for Mmembe if he doesnt control State Institutions. This we wont…
Post can pay PAZA but not ZRA or its staff?
Note that they only gave K15,000 in 2015. So not only have they “failed” to pay ZRA and Staff but also PAZA “…Suffice to say, there have been financial challenges and at times, PAZA has not received this funding. The total amount of money received in the year 2015 was K15,000 and we are yet to receive any money this year.”
This is poverty at its best. You PAZA you are not worth anything you are just an extension of Membe. In your eyes PAZA MMembe is your saviour, any reasonable person would not want to criticize his/her saviour it is common knowledge. You PAZA you will defend MMembe and his past news paper to the bitter end because that is your lifeline. Conflict of interest, you must call yourself something else. Kambwili is right.
Iwe tea car ra Kambwili bwafyashi wakwata kanshi. Why not advise your clueless,visionless,brainless,useless and a drunkard Edgar kaloba chakolwa lungu on good governance.
tell the copperstone neckless man..he’s dull
This is how real men confront issues with the brain connected to the mouth. Rather than abusing the public media for own political gain.
PAZA, of course there is everything wrong with receiving funds from the Post. Apart from the obvious corruption, that money should go towards payments of tax and DBZ so that the money is properly channeled to reduce poverty among our poor people, and to build roads without borrowing …that would be the correct usage of the money if there was a true economic manager, not that sham of a perpetual political failure.