MISA Zambia Chapter is greatly disappointed and disheartened by the continued harassment and intimidation of media practitioners and institutions in this country.
Particularly MISA-Zambia wishes to condemn in the strongest terms the use of the Zambia Police before, during and after 2016 General Elections especially towards the media and members of the opposition which is worrying and a clear act of undermining Zambia’s democratic credentials.
The harassment and intimidation suffered by the Muvi TV journalist in Kasama and Prime TV on the Copperbelt respectively at the hands of police officers was unfortunate and deserved strong condemnation from the government officials which never came. The latest incidences involve reporters from Radio Mano in Kasama and Chipata TV respectively who have been victims of this intimidation.
This is undemocratic and most unfortunate in this era and time and speaks volumes of the kind of the democratic state Zambia has turned into and further demonstrates government’s lack of commitment to run a transparent, accountable and civically enlightened nation.
Press freedom is a precursor for a thriving democracy, an accountable and transparent administration and the unbridled desire by the current regime to suffocate media freedoms in this country is counterproductive and undermines democratic consolidation.
Further, the conspicuous silence on the harassment of the media by either ruling party cadres or the Zambia Police from government is extremely worrying and raises a lot of speculations among citizens that those perpetuating such vices have the government blessings.
Receiving and imparting Information and the right to hold an opinion are part of the current Bill of Rights and the government’s failure to respect people’s rights is undermining the constitution and the sustainability of a sound democratic process in the country.
This demonstrates the levels of how government is trying to shrink the media and political spaces in this country as can be seen by the closure and license suspension of some of the media outlets that provided platforms for critical governance voices in our society.
MISA-Zambia, wishes to caution government against this indiscriminate appetite of closing up or intimidating media institutions and practitioners that one day, it will boomerang.
HELEN MWALE
CHAIRPERSON – MISA ZAMBIA CHAPTER
Media freedom under PF? Forget it.
ONLY THE GUILTY ARE AFRAID OF THE TRUTH!
Lungu and his PF are afraid of the media exposing their corruption, thieving, incompetence and ignorance. That is why they are closing down and intimidating the independent media.
Was Levy Mwanawasa ever afraid of the media? NO! Is Magafulis government afraid of the media? They use it to show how they are improving the economy!
Zambia is being taken backwards because Lungu wants to hide his evil deeds and sweep them under the carpet. And is prepared to deprive Zambians of all their rights to keep them ingnorant and uninformed.
THE MARK OF A CORRUPT DICTATOR!
welcome to Zim 🙁
happy that some people are starting to wake up out of sleep. i keeptelling you that Lungu is a dictator and Christian hypocrite but people have been blinded by his manipulation of Lusaka Christians for Lungu. Can Christ approve what Lungu and his jihad PF police are doing? Definitely not
CRY MY BELOVED COUNTRY! YOU HAVE PUT THE PLAIN TRUTH MY SISTER. PUT WHERE ARE THE PF LEADERS TO GET THE ADVICE? A DARK CLOUD IS CAST OVER ZAMBIA. THE NATION IS DIVIDED. ZAMBIA HAS FALLEN.
THANK YOU MY SISTER FOR REVEALING ONLY THE TRUTH. UNFORTUNATELY THE PF GOVERNMENT HAS NO INTENTION TO MAKE A BETTER DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE SYSTEM IN OUR COUNTRY. SELFISHNESS AND GREEDY IS TAKING ITS TOLL IN THE PF GOVERNMENT. ZAMBIA IS NOW A DIVIDED NATION. IT IS A FALLEN STATE. DEFIANCY TO ADVISE BY PF LEADERSHIP IS WHAT IS DISCOURAGING ABOUT THIS GOVERNMENT.
It should nt sadden you. It should alarm you. Its cause for war