The alliance of media bodies brought together and predominately funded by Rainbow founder Fred M’membe called the Media Liaison Committee has expectedly taken a strong stance against alleged biased reporting by the three leading public media.
Media Liaison Committee chairperson Enock Ngoma said that the organization had given ZNBC, Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail 10 days to change their reportage or face legal action.
He also said the committee will take legal action against political party cadres that had been identified as perpetrating violence against journalists.
“”We have given ZNBC, Times of Zambia and Daily Mail a ten-day ultimatum to change from its biased coverage to live up to its (ZNBC) mandate of being a public service broadcaster that gives fair coverage to all, including divergent views. If this is not heeded, legal action will be taken in the courts of law to compel them,” Ngoma said.
Ngoma also said the committee will undertake private prosecution against the PF cadres that attacked two journalists in Vubwi recently with Police allegedly not making any arrests despite the assailants being identified and subsequent procedures followed.
When M’membe had gone to bed with the PF under the late Michael Sata, the so called MLC had disappeared and could not speak for journalists that were being victimised. Most of its officials went on to get jobs from the PF government. They same so called MLC has now rediscovered its voice after receiving funding from M’membe.
M’membe is expected to use this same committee to access funding from British and American donors ahead of the 2016 elections in the name of media freedom. However, most of that funding will be channeled towards activities around the Rainbow party.
FULL STATEMENT:
MEDIA LIAISON COMMITTEE
YEAR REVIEW PRESS STATEMENT
Lusaka, Monday December 21, 2015
The MLC notes that this year has been one of the worst with regard to harassment of journalists and abuse of media institutions. It is a year where we have heard unfavourable public statements from our leaders, including President Edgar Lungu and his information minister Hon Chishimba Kambwili, threatening and maligning journalists with impunity. The MLC therefore wishes to categorise events and pronouncements as follows:
1. 1. Harassment of journalists
The MLC has noted a growing trend of physical and verbal harassment of journalists in their course of duty by PF leaders and their supporters. This has unfortunately happened in full view of police officers that are supposed to protect all citizens regardless of their political affiliation. Recently, PF cadres in Chingola physically attacked Post journalist Charles Tembo when he was covering first lady Esther Lungu. And in Chipata on December 10, PF cadres physically attacked another Post journalist Peter Sukwa and his counterpart Kelvin Phiri from Feel Free FM Radio. The two were carrying out their duties when these thugs attacked them and exposed them to all sorts of inhuman treatment, including urinating in Sukwa’s mouth. Further these thugs poured petrol on Sukwa and Phiri with intent to burn them alive, but some good Samaritans fortunately served them. And despite a docket having been opened in Chipata three weeks ago no arrests have been made so, even when the culprits are well known. We also wish to observe that a culture where cadres have stormed media houses to fish out guests has only been introduced under the PF. A culture where there is silence from the police after all these incidents have been reported has only been started under the PF government.
We also remember how PF cadres have stopped radio programmes from various community radio stations on the pretext that they did not like the guests featuring on such programmes. On November 29, PF cadres raided Breeze FM in Chipata and stopped a live phonein programme that featured Rainbow Party leader Mr Wynter Kabimba. And this unfortunate incident has led to the radio station cancelling all its political programmes. This is a direct affront to freedom of expression as well as media freedom.
We therefore wish to inform the nation that as MLC we have decided to take up the matter and shall ensure that the culprits are prosecuted in the courts of law. We have done this before, with the latest being in 2010 where we took to court an MMD cadre Chris Chalwe who was later convicted and sentenced. We feel that we are not getting any protection from government leaders and the police in this regard. It is now our duty to defend ourselves using the legal system available in our country.
The MLC has further noted that while this has been happening, neither President Lungu nor his ministers and the police command have been bothered at all. It seems they have been impressed with the criminal conduct of PF cadres against their fellow citizens.
MLC is engaging private prosecutors to prosecute political cadres whose identities have been disclosed through the dockets that have been opened against them.
1.1 ZRA and the Post Newspapers
In the last two months, the government has used the Zambia Revenue Authority to harass The Post newspaper on the pretext that the company does not pay taxes. We all know how much tax the newspaper contributes to the treasury as compared to other players. And these actions have been taken despite the court order granted in favour of The post early last month. And as we speak, ZRA officers have set base at The Post head office in Rhodes Park where they are everyday checking documents that they hope to prove to them that the company has been evading value added tax. The question we ask is how many other media houses owe ZRA? We are aware that some media houses owe ZRA five times what The Post might have owed that time. Is this the way to govern in a democracy? Is it the government wish to close the newspaper and send all Post employees on the street? And if this happens, how will the government benefit? We know that the newspaper is sometimes very critical of the government, but this is not the best way to handle criticism.
1. 2. Unethical conduct of the public media
The MLC has noted with utter disgust, the unethical conduct of the public media namely the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail. These three media institutions which are supposed to serve the public have been turned into PF tools that daily disseminate the ruling party’s propaganda. It is undeniable that all dissenting views from citizens have been blacked out from these media houses, yet they claim to serve the public. In case of ZNBC, Zambians contribute three kwacha (k3.00) every month to sustain the operations of the so called national broadcaster. But the Corporation only covers PF sympathisers and stalwarts everyday as if the country is a one party state. We wish to remind ZNBC management that Zambians want to hear from different voices, and not just PF members. This has resulted in media poralisation since the public media which are supposed to be the yardstick in ethical reporting have become PF minions. Where have all the ethics gone? Why is it that other people are only covered when they are either being attacked or they are praising the government? This country is not a one party state, but a multiparty state founded on democratic principles. As for the Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail, they have also become PF magazines. In fact they have become worse than they were under the one party state. In that era, these newspapers could criticise sitting ministers and other government officials who misconducted themselves. But nowadays, PF cadres from the lowest ranks have become the biggest ‘newsmakers’. It’s a shame!
The MLC therefore gives ZNBC, Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail 10 days, effective today, within which to change and live up to their mandate of serving the public. Failure to do that, the MLC shall use its constitutional right and seek legal redress in the courts of law. There is a precedent to this; in 1991 the Press Association of Zambia, on behalf of other media houses and the general citizenry, used the courts of law to have the ZNBC director general then, and managing directors at the Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail suspended during election period because they were deemed to be supporting the ruling UNIP at the time.
And the three bosses were put on suspension and never got back their jobs because UNIP lost power. We have confidence in ourselves and our courts of law which brought sanity then, that they can rescue the situation even now. We are resolved on this because we sense that going into election time next year the situation could be worse if not curtailed. Lastly, we also call on the private media to be ethical and cover every stakeholder fairly and equally. While we demand such from the public media, we also believe that the same ethics apply to the private media as well.
1. 3. Failure to enact the access to information (ATI) bill into law
The push for the enactment of ATI bill into law has once again hit a snag. This is mainly because the major stakeholder, the government, has refused to take the bill to the National Assembly. Both President Lungu and Hon Kambwili have openly refused to support this cause even after their party promised to enact the bill before forming government in 2011. We put it clear to this government that we shall not relent in this fight, we shall continue with our advocacy until a more reasonable government enacts the ATI bill.
1. 4. Misapplication of the Public Order Act
Both police and the government have consistently abused the Public Order Act (POA), mostly against people with dissenting views. May we remind the police that this piece of legislation does not give them any amount of power to grant permits to would be conveners? It simply allows people to inform police and not to seek their consent. But we wonder why police behave like they are the ones to give permits.
In the Act there is no word ‘permit’, so police have ignorantly denied people the right to assemble freely. Since we are approaching elections, the MLC calls upon the police to implement the POA fairly by allowing opposition party members to gather and campaign freely, including civil society organisations. We have seen PF supporters gather and demonstrate anywhere without notifying the police, and they have been tolerated. We ask that the same be extended to every other citizen because all must obey the law, whether in the ruling party or outside.
1.5 IBA and the fight with UNZA Radio
Ladies and gentlemen, the Director General of Independent Broadcasting Authority has written to management of UNZA Radio asking the station to suspend the UNZA Star interactive Radio programme. The letter came after the station featured Douglas Syakalima of the United Party for National Development (UPND). The following day, the station featured PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri to react and clarify all the allegations which had been raised by Mr Syakalima the previous day. These demands by IBA have escalated. We are aware that the board of the station held their extraordinary meeting last week where they resolved to continue observing the situation and make adjustments to the programme by removing some presenters. Ladies and gentlemen, IBA has got no right to go on a fishing expedition to look for cases. The IBA Act provides that IBA will only act if there is a complaint from any member of the public who feels injured by the programme. In fact, the first procedure is that such a person must first complain to the station before resorting to IBA. There are no records at UNZA Radio to show that there had been any such complaints from anyone. IBA has turned itself into a complainant and a judge, which we feel is very unreasonable. As such, we demand the following:
• That the UNZA Star Radio programme be reinstated with immediate effect.
• That IBA must stop harassing UNZA Radio station and must not be influenced by anyone.
• That IBA must follow the law as it is and should not engage in a fishing expedition to stifle free speech.
• That the actions of IBA are frivolous, unjustifiable and a mere act of intimidation.
1. 6. Election monitoring
We wish to inform the nation that the MLC will be part of the media team that will actively monitor the media’s coverage of the 2016 presidential and general elections. This will be done in partnership with the BBC Media Action and MISA Zambia. We have already started preparing ourselves for that process, and we shall ensure we have a presence everywhere across the country.
1. 6. Conclusion
We pray that what has happened this year be confined to history so that we all face the New Year with hope and joy. The general election is just about five months away and we hope that the government will level the playing field for everyone to participate without intimidation. This is the democracy we fought for and we shall defend it with all our strength. Happy festive season to you all, and, may God grant you joy and prosperity in the New Year!
The Media Liaison Committee (MLC) is a loose alliance of media associations and trade union movements that promotes media freedom and free speech. The Committee comprises the Media Institute of Southern Africa – Zambian chapter, Press Association of Zambia, United Nations Information Centre, Zambia Union of Broadcasters and other Information Disseminators and the Zambia Union of Journalists. Others are the Press Freedom Committee of The Post Newspapers, Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, Zambia Media Women Association, Southern Africa Editors’ Forum – Zambia Chapter, and the Catholic Media Services.
Enock Ngoma
Chairperson
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