Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya has clarified that ZNBC has not merged with TopStar contrary assertions. Ms Siliya explained that the conditional authorization to the proposed merger of ZNBC and Star times granted by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is merely a merger of interests in a joint venture and not of two independent institutions.
In a ministerial statement to Parliament, Ms. Siliya said that being a statutory body created by an Act of Parliament; it’s not possible that any other institution can have shares in ZNBC, any change of shareholding in ZNBC would have to be made by Parliament.
Ms Siliya, however, stated that ZNBC as an institution can pursue business interests and acquire shares in other interests, but that nobody can acquire shares in the public broadcaster.
The Minister has since stated that TopStar has no shareholding in ZNBC, but that ZNBC has 40 percent shareholding in TopStar.
Ms Siliya, who is also the Chief government spokesperson, said that the merger between ZNBC and Hantex International Corporation limited is merely a merger of interests in a joint venture and not of two independent institutions such as ZNBC and Star times.
And Ms. Siliya who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting says her ministry has made tremendous progress in the implementation of the digital migration project from 2017 to date.
She said the DTT project has been carried out in a phased manner, comprising of phase I, II and III and the scope of works completed include the installation of 55 transmission sites, refurbishment and installation of equipment at ZNBC studios and delivery of OB Vans, construction and installation of equipment at the disaster recovery centre, delivery of 900,000 decoders and construction of six provincial broadcasting stations is in progress.
She said in fulfilling the mandate, the Zambia national broadcasting corporation takes a central stage for that purpose.
Ms. Siliya said ZNBC is a strategic public service broadcaster operating as a statutory body but like any other media institution, can opt to enter into an agreement with any media institution for business purposes.
She said ZNBC has interest in GOtv Zambia limited and multichoice Zambia limited in which it holds 75 percent and 49 percent shares respectively in addition to the 40 percent shares in Topstar Communication Company limited.
Ms. Siliya has explained that Topstar Communication Company limited was incorporated in Zambia in June, 2016 as a limited company by shares.
She told parliament in a ministerial statement that the formation of the joint venture company as a special purpose vehicle which is jointly owned by the Zambia national broadcasting corporation and Star Times of China as an entity to assist in digital migration implementation.
Ms. Siliya said Topstar operates as a signal distributor and carries channels for both local and foreign content service providers of TV channels and that its operations guarantees the principal source of revenue for the Zambian government to repay the loan without putting pressure on the treasury.
She added that government intends to complete installation of transmission systems before April, 2019 while works for the Provincial Broadcasting stations will be completed by September 2019.
In 2016 government through the treasury allocated 9.5 million US dollars to phase one of digital terrestrial television migration with 10 transmitters installed from Livingstone to Chililabombwe to create a digital network.
In the same year, government decided to accelerate the digital migration to the rest of the country by acquiring a loan facility through ZNBC amounting to 273 million US dollars from the EXIM Bank of China.
“Chinese owned” ZNBC has a weaker hand in this deal so it not a merger
Ba Sata (MHSRP) was right, this is Dora Silly!
ZNBC has bought so may shares in the other companies yet its the one paying them. Kind of off track.
I believe her
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Politicians are renowned for their lies. I don’t believe this…..
Dora when are remarrying? A Chinese will be better husband for Dora. Your competitor Kampamba ena found some old guy she can dominate.
Sata was right! It is an UNDER FIVE. Well done Dora, keep shaming the little ones and the little boys.
I am tried of hearing from this silly woman. Even when the truth is out there for all to see she thinks we can be lied to. I understand why chisha folotiya dumped this bed wetter
Who will challenge u5 @ convention
Stop aisha mentality. At your age with grey hair you can be posting such against a woman.
You are the chaps that make us detest your party because of worrying immaturity
Ever heard of positive criticism! Why stoop so low, UPND and PF cadres deserve each other!
I got tired of listening to UNDER FIVE a long time ago.
NEDCOZ Inferiority complex. Racism and TRIBALISM are cousins and NEDCOZ has them both and there are its offshoots of anger, disease, (MAD COW DISEASE), ignorance and above all Inferiority complex.
I know a kid who was at preschool when u5 took over upendi.
They kid did medicine and works at uth and the chap is still opposing everything including independence day
How can he be commander in chief
When
His allegiance is to TRIBE huh
That’s one brilliant kid in such a short time he has done what your entire clan has failed to do.present school, primary both lower and upper grades then medicine all this in 10 , boy we need more Ben 10s in this land and those who can fix the country’s economy under 5 years.
Someone say AMEN to this.
So what? How many years was Sata in charge of the party in opposition. Hatred makes some people forget so easily. How is your submission relate with the subject matter. HH deprives you of sleep eeh?
And what have done for yoaself?
You are right where you have always been save for the degeneration of your mental faculty.
Eve ng’ombe are multiplying, he’s becoming richer by the day. Imwe yanu nikunkhala ombuwambuwa, na kuponyela pali ba nzanu.
Ever since I knew about HAKAINDE MENTAL, he has not grown an inch, mentally.
Madam Siliya. Shame on you and your government. Do you think you are telling kids. ZNBC having shares in Top Star how. You have sold the national broadcaster and now you have alerted us that you actually used shortcuts by not passing this whole dubiuos process through parliament. Posterity will judge and punish you people
How many times have decisions that require parliament approval been honoured? Loans are being signed, do they pass through parliament? madam whatever you say no body believes you ..why do you think it is so?
There goes this woman again fyoto fyoto and she thinks she can make people believe her, na wig kwati ni Pilato, please spare us, we know you guys have heavily borrowed now you are losing assets and then you come and try to lie to the nation.
I believed her because I am not MENTAL!
Shut up Dora, you lost your integrity a long time ago. You are not spinning, just straight up lying. Feminism is a shamble with you in the driving seat.
LIAR LIAR YOUR PANTS ARE ON FIRE …………..STOP LYING YOU ARE MAKING YOURSELF LOOK FOOLISH !
How can dull MPs sit there and listen to this shameless bag??
Mapatizya Formula will never vote in CHILDISH.
All these guys arguing are based in Dudumwezi.
That part of the country is LIKE B#TTOCKS.
They are arguing without alternative facts.
ZNBC CAN NOT BE SOLD.
What has CCPC got to do with approving mergers of ideas or interests? My take is that Dora and company ignorantly really wanted to merge ZNBC and chinese Star fimo fimo, and appplied to CCPC which approved the merger subject to further checks. And now Dora and company have learnt with shameless relief that it is not legally possible to merge ZNBC with another company. There are no shares in ZNBC like say in ZANACO or ZSIC. So Dora, don’t turn your display of ignorance into smartness, after the Govt legal advisors found a way to sneak you out of the mess you created for yourselves.
Znbc has not been taken over by star times but all the money that it makes, it’s managerial board, it’s equipment, it’s infrastructure etc etc will now belong to star times. It’s a symbiotic relationship.