Thursday, March 28, 2024

Intimidation and violent attacks towards journalists should come to a stop-President Lungu

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President Edgar Lungu has called for the protection of Journalists in the country against all forms of attacks. President Lungu said intimidation and violent attacks towards journalists should come to a stop as the media is a key component of the state.

He stated that once an individual engages into violent activities towards journalists, it becomes an act of criminality that will be prosecuted regardless of one’s political affiliation.

President Lungu was speaking during the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day in Lusaka today. The President has assured of government’s support for press freedom in the country.

And the Head of State has urged the Police command to up their game and protect journalists, including all law-abiding citizens from harassment and violence especially ahead of the general elections on August 12, 2021.

“Harassment of journalists is totally unacceptable. Intimidation, harassment and violence is not politics, thus, immediately a person engages in such conduct, he or she has drifted from politics into criminality. Such a person must be arrested and prosecuted,” President Lungu said.

President Edgar Lungu said that the violence that happened at the Patriotic Front Secretariat on Saturday where some journalists were injured is the last test for Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja.

President Lungu said that harassment of the media is criminal and anyone perpetuating the vice should be arrested.

President Lungu said that times have changed where the media was being viewed as an enemy of the state and should now be viewed as key partners in development.

Addressing this year’s World Press Freedom Day under the theme “Information as a Public Good,” the Head of State reiterated his Government’s commitment towards Press Freedom and urged the media to remain truthful as the country heads towards the August polls.

The Head of State also urged journalists to be accurate in providing information to the general public and avoid propagating hate speech.

He observed that some media houses that are practicing unethical journalism by being biased in their reporting, will ruin the careers of the journalists whose credibility will be questioned.

President Lungu implored media practitioners to always present their news in a way that is comprehensive and proportional.

“Journalism’s first obligation is truth, and journalists can only report truthfully if they do thorough investigations and talk to all sides of the story,” he advised.

He added that some media houses have become political mouth pieces because politicians are paying journalists for positive coverage which should not be the case.

The President further advised trained journalists to distinguish themselves from citizen journalism and masqueraders by being professional in their line of work.

He noted that the country has made strides through investment in good quality news transmission through digital migration which is being emulated by other countries.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day is being commemorated under the theme “Information as a public good.”

23 COMMENTS

  1. This kind of speech was long OVERDUE. It remains to be seen how Kanganja will handle this. 6Months contract is coming to an end with zero progress
    Anyway, Mr.Lungu, you need to denounce the same against attacks on the opposition and political opponents. And you need to follow through, otherwise, the strong words in this speech will become toilet paper for KZ to wipe his asss.s. He is very good at that.
    Good you defended the media. I hope those PF th.ugs who attack radio stations have heard you, and will not embarrass you by doing contrary to what you are calling for.

  2. This man is an absolute donkey a two faced one for that matter under his presidency he has crashed alot of media houses and unleashed his cadres on them.

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  3. PF was having a Celebration at the PF Secretariat. All attendees to the Function were vetted by the PF’s internal Security. Surely the violence that took place inside the PF Secretariat among the PF Factions is the Responsibility of the Party. The indiscipline displayed among PF Cadres is the Responsibility of PF internal Security. The Policing inside the Secretariat should be the Responsibility of PF Marshals and not the Police. The disciplining of the two Factions should be dealt with using PF Disciplinary Procedures. ZPS should be involved in the External Security at the PF Secretariat upon invitation. The fighting PF Cadres should have been handed over to ZPS. What happened at the PF Secretariat goes to show the dangers of having Factional Vigilantes and Warlords loyal to…

  4. As long as PF Miltias,vigilantes and Warlords exist and are allowed to operate the problem will not go away. PF Leadership needs to disband these Miltias who are funded by individual PF Leaders and are loyal to them. The incidence that happened at the Ministry of Works where a lady was threatened with death by PF Cadres is a Case in Point. It turned out that those Cadres got their orders from Minister Lusambo. To get rid of this Cadre lawlessness the PF Leadership needs to disband these Militia Groups as a matter of urgency. As we get to close to August 12 PF Cadres Lawlessness will get worse.

  5. If ECL is serious about dealing with Cadre violence he must direct his anger to the PF Youths and Cadres instead of the Police. PF my learn to self Police at its internal functions. As a matter of urgency PF Leadership must disband these Militia Groupings in the Party. PF Cadres are indisciplined and are threatening Concourt Judges, Civil Servants,Lawyers etc. These PF Militias,Vigilantes and Warlords must be disbanded b4 there is Social unrest in the Country.

  6. Tarino you know you can speak like that because you are in diaspora. You think you are safe. I would advise you to never visit Zambia because we know who you are. My partners at lusaka times hold data on you.***(FALSE CLAIM) ***Don’t think we are f00lish. I dare to travel to Zambia and say those words in front of an officer, and you will see what happens. *****deleted *****

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  7. I was having a lovely day, enjoying the sun and everything the world has to offer.
    And then I read this and became angry. Fight breaks out amongst his cadres and is quick to blame the police? A decent and decisive leader would have fired someone within the party, or at the very least, strongly issue a demand of an arrest by the police and court appearance of those involved within three days.
    Decisiveness, boldness and commitment to non violence doesn’t come by issuing a statement, it takes action.
    Edgar Lungu fails to inspire confidence.

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  8. He pays lip service to celebrate world days , but the thugs under his command are out brutalised and harassing anyone they suspect of having questions about lungis misrule……..

  9. You should try your best not to take ANYTHING trolls say seriously. NO matter how POORLY they behave, remember these people spend countless UNPRODUCTIVE hours trying to make people mad. They’re not WORTH your time of day.

  10. Says the man who once intimidated high court judges warning them not to try Kenya style election petition ruling.Judges actually matter far more than journalists.

  11. Intimidation and violent attacks towards journalists has been by Lungu and his staff such as Amos Chanda, Josephine Mapoma and Dora Siliya. The message should be addressed to PF and its Government

  12. Intimidation and violent attacks towards journalists has been by your own staff such as Amos Chanda, Dora siliya, Amos Malupenga, Josephine Mapoma. This message should be addressed to the PF membership

  13. @Chiza Chirwa. U have hit the Nail on the Head. Intra Party violence should be solved by Party Leadership. I agree a decisive President should have fired Senior Leaders Responsible for organizing the Celebration and those who should have organized Security. The Police are invited to Police at such Celebration and would normally be outside the Venue and not inside. Police cannot enforce discipline within PF. PF should discipline its Cadres and abandon Militias,Vigilantes and Warlords.

  14. @ Tarino

    This is the same thief and convict who who closed down the post newspapers.

    Not paying taxes was just an excuse, how many government parastatals owe taxes.

    Post was closed down due to the truth being reported about corruption and all kind of lawlessness happening in the country.

    Lungu the imbecile kunt needs to be jailed

  15. Iwe KZ. Your intimidation won’t work. Who the hell do you think you are. You don’t own Zambia.

    If I was you I would keep an eye on your daughter. Your imbeciles cadres might defile her you won’t be able to hide your ugly face

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  16. Scouser – The only problem here is you are addressing a UK based impostor/Troll with too much time on its hands …dont involve the innocent man’s daughter who doesn’t even blog…all it wants is for you to sink to its level and trade insults all day. It also has no affiliation to PF just here to amuse itself!!

  17. Tarino Orange how does a gayish-man troll who “owns several companies” find so much idle time to troll here daily? Lying liars are their own worst enemies.

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  18. The President is giving directive to police to take action but why no
    Action by police?Is kanganja not
    Obeying or police are fearful to
    Take action.

  19. Instead of making IG Kanganja a scapegoat ECL should discipline his PF Cadres. Until PF Militias and Vigilantes are disbanded lawlessness will get worse as we get closer to August 12. As they say violence begets violence. Time will tell.

  20. Mr President, only you can stop this! The violence that has besieged the country often from your ruling party is getting worse and worse. How many times have you issued similar instructions only for the same to reappear? Last last week at your own party headquaters… Please save us before people start defending themselves with all they have.

  21. The problem I see is that most of these ppl are not law binding citizens or they don’t understand the law itself because ppl are not infuesed to understand what is lawful and what is not and sometimes they get fed up with wrong info from the leadership who happens not to understand law themselves. in most cases is this uneducated cadrerism influx that has messed up things that in most causes problems.

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