The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia has appealed to government to extend the waiving of duty to the importation of broadcasting equipment as a way of enhancing the growth of the sector.

MISA Zambia Chairperson Henry Kabwe said this when he unveiled new equipment for community radio stations donated by the Irish Aid and Diakonia .

Mr. Kabwe further called on Government to quickly implement the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act so that many applicants for community radio stations can be given broadcasting licenses.

He said a number of people that have applied for broadcasting licenses have not been granted licenses due to the prolonged procedure in issuing such licenses by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services.

Mr.Kabwe said the advantage of having a community radio station in communities out weights the sustainability challenges they face.

He said MISA Zambia believes in the pluralistic and diverse media environment where freedom of speech becomes a reality for the grassroots.

Mr.Kabwe said MISA Zambia in conjunction with its partners has been running projects aimed at enhancing the capacity of community radio station, which has been recognized as a critical medium for promoting good governance and sustainable development in communities.

He said community radio stations are regarded a priority for information sourcing by the communities due to their proximity to people.

He however said that despite the increasing number of community radio stations promoting good Governance, Democracy and Sustainability Development, they still lack financial support.

Mr.Kabwe stressed out that the support that the Irish Aid under the Radio and Good Governance project and from Diakonia under the Strategic Planning and Equipment Support for community Radio Stations made the purchasing of equipment possible.

He said a total of 15 community radio stations have continued to benefit under the Radio and Good Governance projects while five have benefited under the Strategic Planning and Equipment Support for Community Radio Stations (SPESCRA).

Mr.Kabwe revealed that a total of US$104,388 was spent under the Irish Aid, and US$88,364.35 was spent under Diakonia for the purchasing of the consignment of equipment that was unveiled.

He said the support from the two partners has gone beyond purchasing of equipment as they have also provided training, strategic planning, audience survey, and production of radio programmes.

Mr.Kabwe further appealed to various stake holders to emulate what the Irish Aid and Diakonia has done and help the community radio stations in Zambia.

ZANIS/PC/AM/ENDS

President Rupiah Banda on Wednesday extended condolscences to the Acting President Henrique Perreira Rosa of New Guinea following the assasination of that country’s President Joas Bernardo Viera in the early hours of Monday this week.

State House Chief Analyst for Presss and Public Relations Dickson Jere said in a statement to ZANIS that President Banda said Zambia shares the pain and sadness which the government and the people of Guinea Bissau were going through during the difficult time following the death of their leader.

” On behalf of the Government and the people of Zambia and on my own behalf we extend our heart felt condolscences to you to the Government and people of Guinea Bissau, ” President Banda said in the letter to the Acting President Rosa.

He said President Vieira has been one of Africa’s distinguished leaders. He also extended his words of condolscences to the first Lady and the bereaved family.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande said in a statement to ZANIS that the Zambian government is appalled at what he described as a barbaric act which has not only taken away the life of a serving President but also has the potential of reversing the gains of democratic governance of the Republic of Guinea Bissau.

The Minister said the Zambia government condemns in the strongest terms the assassination of both the President and Army Chief of Staff.

He added that the Zambian government is urging the government of Guinea Bissau to immediately bring the perpetrators of the heinous act to book to restore confidence in the military whose responsibility is to defend the territorial integrity of the country.

He added that the Zambian government was also urging the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to assist the government of Guinea Bissau to stabilise the country and deal with the root causes of the current situation there.

He said it is incumbent upon the AU member states to deploy efforts and to undertake initiatives aimed at strengthening democratic institutions which will entrench democracy on the continent.
ZANIS/MM/ENDS

Zambia Director John Phiri says programmes which do not include youths are bound to fail.

Mr. Phiri urged Zambian youths to start thinking seriously about the change they have always believed in instead of indulging the politics of negative thinking and injustice that have rocked the nation.

He said the Zambian youths today do not seem to be working for tomorrow and there is need to understand why they are revolutionary.

Mr. Phiri was speaking at the launch of the Zambian Youth Voter Campaign against voter apathy which was held in Lusaka today.

The launch of the campaign and the song titled YES WE CAN which was sang by various Zambian artists was organized by Global Justice Zambia.

The song is based on Obamas inaugural speech. He said the campaign will bring a youth revolutionary which will unite them.

He also challenged the youths who have lost hope as a result of hardships they are going through not to get discouraged because each attempt to vote was a positive and learning experience.

Speaking at the same event, the youth manager of Obama youth campaign Erich Casher encouraged youths to vote as it is extremely important in a democratic country and it was more than a right but an obligation and responsibility which should not be taken for granted.

Mr. Casher said if the people who were voted into power do not deliver it Is wise to vote for others than not voting at all. he said young people have a voice ton push things through in terms of economic And prosperity.
ZANIS/CM/ENDS/MM

First Lady Thandiwe Banda has disclosed that she has no intentions of establishing her own charitable organization.

Mrs. Banda says she is convinced that the existing Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the country are well organized and therefore merely require support from all stakeholders.

She was speaking during a working breakfast with various NGOs at State House today.

Mrs. Banda noted that creating her own charitable organization could just increase the number of such organizations leading to duplication of efforts.

She said she would work with the existing charitable organizations to help address challenges faced by the vulnerable in the country.

Mrs. Banda said she would use her position as First Lady to mobilize resources for the various NGOs in the country.

She said methods will be devised on how to coordinate the work of assisting as many organizations in the country as possible.

Mrs. Banda noted that NGOs are critical partners to government in helping develop the social economic status of the communities they operate from hence the need to support their efforts.

She further observed that in many countries spouses of leaders are supporters of charitable organizations and NGOs on account of their exposure to people and organizations they come into contact with which they can influence.

And several NGOs present at the function have welcomed Mrs. Banda’s initiative which they described as unique in the country’s history.

Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) Chief Executive Officer Holo Hachonda said his organization is ready to unite with other NGO’s to support the initiative.

Mr. Hachonda said the First Lady’s idea has set a new trend of selflessness for the country’s leadership.

Among the organizations represented at the working breakfast were the Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ), National Council for Catholic Women (NCCW) and Forum for Women Education in Zambia (FAWEZA).

Others are Zambia National Association of Disabled Women (ZNAD), Zambia Union of Nurses (ZUN), Zambia Alliance of Women (ZAW), Zambia Women Writers Association (ZWWA), and Society for Women and AIDS in Zambia (SWAZI) and Senior Citizens Association among others

ENDS/CM/AM/ZANIS