United Party for National Development (UPND) National Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa has described the PF and its government as an enemy of the media in the country and has since demanded for a conducive working environment for both private and public media houses and practitioners.
Mr Mweetwa says the numerous attacks on media houses and practitioners by especially PF cadres and statutory bodies such as the Independent Broadcasting Authority, IBA is unprecedented in the history of Zambia and a sure sign that the PF has no regard for the media and its noble work.
“We look back in the last 10 years of the PF administration in relation to media abuse in the country. All we can remember is the closure and subsequent suspension of broadcasting licences of various Media Houses. It is very shocking that from 2011, the PF strongly advocated for the enactment of the Access to Information Bill (ATI), but when I pushed for the enactment of the Bill last year, they shot it down claiming that it violated 14 Parliamentary Bills. We as UPND shall quickly enact the Access to Information Bill (ATI) and ensure that Media freedoms and liberties were respected.”
“Please free the media because we want Zambia to be better again and the starting point is the safety and security of media and its personnel. We saw the bizarre incidence at the PF secretariat a few days ago where PF cadres descended on innocent journalists and lynched them,” he said.
During the party’s World Press Freedom Day Press briefing, the UPND Mouthpiece said the UPND and its President Hakainde Hichilema joins the country’s media practitioners in commemorating this day and pledge a free media.
“The country needs a free media devoid of political interference and intimidation. The country has a choice to make things better for the media. My friends in the media, time has come for you to redeem the country from PF thuggery attacks.August 12th,2021 is an opportune time for the country to rescue itself. The UPND and HH is looking forward to a country of free conscience, expression and association,” he added.
Mr Mweetwa further advised some media houses to avoid being used as propaganda tools for the PF but stick to their professional ethics to avoid creating national and political divisions adding that writing and reporting the truth in Zambia has become a risky business under the PF.
UPND is the one which reports fack news and we know you. Stop lying
When one media house refused when asked to disseminate Covid-19 information to its TV viewers, it became an enemy to the Zambian people.
Another media house became enemies to Zambians when it failed to pay taxes when they fail due.
Some radio stations became antagonistic by encouraging tribalism, hate speech, and breaching public safety. All these were the real enemies to Zambia, not government.
Mweetwa tell the zambian people what you will do for them. Simply fuk0ff
KZ the corrupt PF government will only take five seconds in listing what they have done for Zambia. That’s how long it takes to say “NOTHING”.
The president has a big hand in the PF cadres. Every time you hear a cadre talk is to involve in the president. It can only take voice of the president to shut them up and tell the cadres to leave stations and markets.
But as long as he is quiet whenever they harm any citizen, the it leaves something to desire.
I dont know if some people are what kind of animals who do not see the happenings in this country. Do the breath and sunbask the same wheather we do or have their own who go to an extent of not accepting their own wrong?
The alleged independent (small ‘I’) Broadcasting Autocracy (IBA) has censured a TV station for interviewing a bona fide Zambian citizen who is leader of a registered political party. That is free media for you. The state owned media institution journalist self censor because of fear to be victimised. Zambians live hand to mouth and have no savings to fall back on and so missing a month’s salary is devastating for a family if one is fired. This is why we do not have a free media. They are like well behaved children who are free to do what ever they want but under the watchful eye of a tyrannical father.
get the corrct reasons
No matter what government you put in power the situation will remain the same. Even in the USA the press is not albeit depending which party they favor.