October 1 to December 31st 2008
Government paying lip service to community radio stations By Brian Lingela
T
he Committee on Information and Broadcasting of the National Assembly for the Second Session of the 10th National Assembly of Zambia has observed that the Government is paying lip service to the facilitation and development of community radio stations in Zambia. In a report adopted by Parliament on 13 November 2008, the Committee stated that apart from the statement,and the media policy of 1996 that spells out one of the goals to achieve countrywide coverage by radio and television by the year 2005, including the provision of community radio stations, Government has not done much in practical terms to develop a clear cut-policy on the development and management of community and commercial radios. The Committee observes that even when government has established a Media Revolving Fund, they do not spell out who qualifies for it and how it will be operationalised. “The modus operandi of the proposed Media Fund, as espoused in the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP), must be clearly spelt out and an independent body rather that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS), should be instituted to manage and administer it,” the committee recommends. The Committee also noted that the dual licensing procedure where an applicant has to satisfy both the Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ) and MIBS and pay separate fees to both, is not only cumbersome but also expensive. “The licensing process should be streamlined and made
into a one stop shop to reduce costs and time,” the committee recommended. The Committee further observed that in terms of license fees, community radio stations were made to pay the same fees as commercial broadcasters and yet they were not expected to make profit. “On the other hand, commercial stations are competing for the same clientele with community radios who can afford to lower their tariffs since there overheads are minimal,” the Committee stated. The Committee also observed that Government has deliberately held on to the licensing function by refusing or being reluctant to operationalise the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) , whose responsibility it should be to determine who gets which license. It has since recommended that MIBS and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) should not be part of the licensing process and that there was need for Government to establish and operationalise the IBA to regulate broadcasting so that the Ministry can concentrate on policy formulation and not regulation. The Committee also observed that where as other community radio stations have boards, those established by religious organizations do not have advisory boards and even where they exist, and they are restricted to the clergy and are not representative of the local people. “Religious organizations administering and operating community radios should be compelled to constitute advisory boards not just from the clergy but also from the local members of their
MISA Zambia Chairperson Henry Kabwe handing over publications to Information Minister Lt. Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha
organizations,” the Committee recommended. Other recommendations include the need for the government to zero rate or exempt community radio stations or would be investors from duty on radio and related broadcasting equipment in order to live true to the goal of facilitating and promoting the establishment of community radios and the need to ensure that community radio stations are not charged economic license fees compared to those charged to commercial licensees. The Committee also recommends that community
radio stations should not further expand their coverage radius in order to better serve the community. “Expansion of coverage area should be left to commercial radios,” the Committee noted. On 14 April 2008 MISA Zambia Chairperson Henry Kabwe submitted a report on the “ Governance and Role of Community radio stations i n t h e p ro m o t i o n o f Community aspirations and national programmes,” before the Committee discussed several challenges faced by the community radio sector in Zambia.
MISA Zambia looks strategically into the future By Nshamba Muzungu
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he Media Institute of Southern Africa,MISA Zambia held a strategic planning workshop at Fringila Lodge in Chisamba between 20-23, October 2008. The workshop was preceded by the induction seminar for the new National Governing Council (NGC) members who had just been voted into office at the 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lusaka in September. The participants at the workshop included members of staff of the MISA Zambia Secretariat, members of the NGC, stakeholders from the electronic and print media, trustees - John Mwanakatwe and Masautso Phiri, and members of staff from head office, continued on page 6
PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA
October 1 to December 31st 2008
Contents
A word from the Chairperson T
Government attempts to muzzle the media
3
Irish Aid pleased with community radio good governance project
4
Radio Mphangwe to hit the airwaves soon
5
Report on the NCC
5
MISA Zambia holds 12th AGM
7
Fackson Banda wins 2008 MISA Media Freedom Award
8
Zamcom holds first graduation ceremony
9
Zambian government on digital broadcasting
10
Civil society joins media bodies in rejecting statutory regulation
11
MISA Zambia, media bodies mourn Mwanawasa
12
Editorial Team Fanwell Chembo Brian Muletambo Lingela Jane Chirwa Da Silva Nshamba Muzungu Newsletter layout by Nshamba Muzungu MISA-Zambia is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting media freedom and diversity in Zambia. It is the Zambian chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), based in Windhoek, Namibia. MISA was established in September 1992 with the aim of promoting free, independent and pluralistic media as envisaged in the 1991 Windhoek Declaration [www.misanet.org]. It has 10 other chapters in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region, namely: Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Angola, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Tanzania, Namibia and South Africa. MISA News is a quarterly publication of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, Zambia chapter. Articles in MISA News do not necessarily represent the views of MISA Zambia. Contributions and comments should be addressed to: Information/Research Officer MISA Zambia Plot 3814, Martin Mwamba Rd Olympia Park P.O.Box 32295, Lusaka Tel: 292096 Telefax: 292096 E - mail: info@misazambia.org.zm www.misazambia.org.zm PAGE 2 MISA News
his is the first edition of the newsletter in 2009 and as you will notice, it is also reaching you electronically. There are quite a number of things to reflect upon last year for us to form ways to reaching out in 2009 and beyond. After the Annual General Meeting that saw a new National Governing Council (NGC) being put in place, we quickly focused on the issues at hand which included media law reforms . However, our hope was dampened when President Levy Mwanawasa died in Paris France last year. The death of Dr Mwanawasa left us with a number of challenges because we saw the most polarised coverage in the history of Zambia’s presidential elections. Powerful media houses took positions and this prompted parliamentarians to advocate for statutory regulation of the media after the elections were over. As media bodies, we said ‘No’ to that and our word was so strong that it shaped the way forward for the National Constitution Conference (NCC) to adopt most of the provisions in the draft constitution. Of particular concern during the election was the rise in media violations media personnel from both the State and private media institutions. Politicians’ threats instigated their cadres to pounce on unsuspecting journalists who were beaten and hauled with all sorts of derogatory words. Now that the elections fever is over, there is need for continuity towards media law reforms as promised by the late Zambian President Dr Mwanawasa and we hope that this will be achieved under President Rupiah Bwezani Banda. It is time for law makers to enact laws with the right objectives. Having constituted the NGC at national level, we had to pick on what we promised our members to ensure that the needs of the association were adequately met. By then, a number of community radio stations had received management training, which, I am sure, is adding value to the running and sustainability of the conveyers of information and education in the most deprived areas. To ensure that goals are scored in running these programmes, a monitoring and evaluation framework has been developed. Time has come for us to do things that work for the media as opposed to hitting wrong targets that may not translate into positive results. That is why we have resolved to ensure we engage government in advocating for change in the media law regime in the nation at a time when the National Constitution Conference (NCC) is crafting the most important law of the land – the Constitution. As rightly observed by the MPs from the Information and Broadcasting Committee, we cannot continue relying on lip service for community radio development and, I think, other sectors of the media. We need to see the implementation of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Amendment Acts. If lip service continues to appease our souls for the coming months, then we can as well forget about having a well established media landscape once the adopted provisions in the new constitution take effect. We cannot but wait for the day when the executive powers, that are mandated to implement laws, did budget and provided for the independence of the media in Zambia. The strategic plan to forge the way forward for the association that was promised is now almost done. I take this opportunity to encourage those that have been discouraged from being part of the governance of MISA Zambia to reconsider their stance. I also wish to challenge the female members of MISA Zambia to rise up to the occassion and take up the governance of the organisation by vying for positions on the National Governing Council (NGC) of MISA Zambia. MISA Zambia has a deliberate policy of gender equality and I encourage all the female members of MISA Zambia to participate in the governance of their organisation. Finally, in the spirit of carrying our organisation forward, MISA Zambia undertook strategic planning to ensure that our organisation is addressing the issues obtaining on the ground. The process included a workshop, visits to most of our members to ensure that needs were collected and prioritised in the strategic plan. I wish to congratulation Radio Mphangwe in Katete for hitting the airwaves. I am waiting to hear more of such good news from Mpulungu, Kasempa and Nampundwe soon. It is time to move into action. God bless you.
PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA
October 1 to December 31st 2008
Government attempts to muzzle media By Nshamba Muzungu
M
edia associations in Zambia are dismayed by government’s attempts to ban live phone –in political programmes on community radio stations in the country. In a joint communiqué released after a consultative meeting held on 23 September 2008, at the MISA Zambia secretariat in Lusaka, media bodies resolved that all community and commercial radio stations should ignore the advice from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting but would instead continue with normal programming. MISA Zambia chairperson, Henry Kabwe, said that the directive by the government not only violates media freedom and freedom of expression but described the move as a desperate attempt by the government to muzzle the media in the run up to the October 30 presidential elections. “During times of elections, the media have a duty to provide equal access to all contending political parties so that they sell their manifestos to the electorate. Radio stations also have the duty to facilitate interaction between aspiring political parties and the citizenry and live phone-in programmes are their lifeblood as long as this is done inline with the Electoral Code of Conduct,” Kabwe said. Kabwe urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Nyirenda, to rescind his decision because the radio programmes as they served as an important source of information in most rural areas where the signals of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, ZNBC radio do not reach. He said the move to ban live phone-in programmes was undemocratic and violates media freedom and freedom of expression, adding that this trend by the Ministry was worrying as it was not the first time that government was attempting to stop live-phone in programmes.
Kabwe cited the run up to the September 28, 2006 presidential and general elections when the police visited Radio Q FM in an attempt to stop the station from providing live coverage of the election events and in 2007 when Radio Explorers in Petauke was threatened with revocation of the licence for featuring an opposition political party leader. The MISA chairperson reminded community and commercial radio stations to adhere to the Electoral (Code of Conduct) Regulations which required that they provide fair and balanced reporting of the campaigns, policies, meetings, rallies and press conferences of all registered political parties during the period of the campaigns. The Media bodies that met at the MISA secretariat resolved that radio stations should ignore the advice rendered by the Ministry of Information not to run live phone – in programmes. The media bodies included the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)-Zambia, Press Association of Zambia (PAZA), the Press Freedom Committee of the Post (PFC), Zambia Media Women Association (ZAMWA), Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ), the Commonwealth Press UnionZambian Chapter and the Southern Africa Editors Forum –Zambian Chapter. The media bodies resolved that all community and commercial radio stations should operate within the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act, as well as Electoral Code of Conduct. They further resolved that the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) should operate within the provisions of the ZNBC (Amendment) Act of 2002. The media associations advised the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services to desist from issuing statements that threaten to undermine media freedom and the freedom of expression of citizens. Additionally, the media bodies urged the Minister of
Information and Broadcasting Services to implement the IBA Act of 2002 and the ZNBC Act of 2002. On September 12, 2008, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Nyirenda advised all commercial and community radio stations to desist from live phone-in programmes. In a letter addressed to station managers, Nyirenda stated that some radio stations were having political programmes, which provided unbalanced and unfair coverage to political parties during election campaigns. “ It has been observed that some radio stations have political programmes which provide unbalanced and, in some cases, unfair coverage to political parties during election
campaigns,” the letter read. Nyirenda said that the programmes could be used by some parties to trade insults and accusations, which could not be rebutted, adding that ideally phone-in programmes needed to be handled with the use of special technology to facilitate the screening of calls. “ In order to avoid unnecessary complaints, c o n f l i c t a n d misunderstandings, I wish to advise that you desist from such programmes and only carry political programmes in accordance with the Electoral Commission of Zambia regulations which demand that you give balanced coverage,” the letter read in part.
Increased attacks on media during elections worry MISA Zambia By Nshamba Muzungu
O
n 7 November, 2008, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia expressed great concern over increased incidents of media freedom violations, threats and harassment witnessed during the presidential elections of 30 October 2008. In a post election statement on media coverage, MISA Zambia expressed concern over the sharp rise in the number of media violations recorded during the elections period. The violations included physical harassment, threats of legal suits, ejections from venues of political events such as rallies, threats to close down media institutions and orders to stop live broadcasts or publishing of particular stories either by order or through the courts of law. During the pre- and postelection period, between September and November
PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA
2008, MISA Zambia recorded and reported 16 media freedom violations compared to six between January and August 2008. M I S A Z a m b i a Chairperson, Henry Kabwe, condemned the harassment of journalists describing the act as a hindrance to the free flow of information which he said would consequently affect the development of the country’s democracy and good governance. Kabwe said that the media had an important role to play during times of elections by ensuring that the electorate had access to balanced information on contending political parties in order for them to make informed decisions. He called on the police, government and leaders of political parties to take necessary steps to understand the role of the media especially during continued on page 4 MISA News PAGE 3
October 1 to December 31st 2008 Continued from Page 3
Increased attacks on media during elections worry MISA Zambia elections. Kabwe also appealed to the media to adhere to the Electoral Act and Electoral Code of Conduct during elections by providing fair, equitable and balanced coverage to all contesting candidates. “MISA Zambia makes this appeal in the view of polarisation between the public and private media that characterised the just ended electoral period. The private print media appeared to have been skewed towards the opposition parties in its coverage while the state owned did the exact opposite by supporting the ruling MMD party,” Kabwe stated He, however, commended the media for soldiering on despite so many challenges during the period. One notable media freedom violation was when Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Nyirenda, on September 12, 2008 ordered all community and private radio stations to desist from live phone-in programmes. In his view phone-in programmes were used by some political parties to engage in insults and accusations which could not be rebutted. Another instance was when Muvi TV and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) reporters and camerapersons were assaulted and pelted by ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) cadres who undertook a solidarity march in favour of their Presidential candidate Rupiah Banda in Lusaka. The government owned Zambia Daily Mail, on August 29, 2008 also had its reporters threatened with dismissal if they did not publish articles by Mbita Chitala, a former ambassador to Libya and a member of the MMD campaign team. In addition, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services and government spokesperson, Mike Mulogoti also threatened to “sort out” the privately owned Post PAGE 4 MISA News
Newspaper if his party won the elections. The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) in its report on the monitoring of the presidential election observed that the conduct of some of the private and public media institutions infringed the provisions of both the Electoral (Code of Conduct) Regulations and the SADC Principles and Guidelines governing democratic elections. LAZ president, Elijah Banda, said at a press briefing that it was apparent that some media houses, both private and public, had a preferred candidate of choice and accorded favourable and unbalanced coverage in favour of such candidates to the detriment of others. “We note that the absence of effective sanctions was a
catalyst to this unacceptable state of affairs. We propose the amendment of the Electoral (Code of Conduct) Regulations in this regard,” Banda said. Meanwhile, some civil society organisations expressed dismay at some political parties that had resorted to threats and harassment of journalists. In a joint report on the October 30, 2008 election, the organisations bemoaned the harassment of journalists who were either accused of biases or negative coverage by the political parties. They cited the MMD, at a campaign rally at Freedom Square in Lusaka on Saturday, October 19, 2008 at which it was reported that the party threatened to close the privately owned Muvi TV because of what they termed “biased reporting” and PF cadres also threatened to sort out journalists from the public media for
alleged biased coverage of their candidate. The civil society organisations included the Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP), Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) and the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP). The organisations also bemoaned the manner of reporting by some media houses stating that there was polarisation in the way information on the presidential candidates was presented.
Irish Aid pleased with community radio good governance project
From left to right: Judith Kankuli, Andrew Bowden and Irish Aid Head of Development Gerry Cunningham at MISA Zambia secretariat
By Brian Lingela Irish Aid in Zambia has expresed satisfaction with MISA Zambia’s implementation of the community radio and good governance project that was launched in 2007.
Speaking after MISA Zambia Radio and Good Governance Project Officer, Chanda Mfula presented a report at a joint partnership biannual review meeting, Irish Embassy Head of Development, Gerry Cunningham
PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA
said his organisation was pleased with the implementation of the project. MISA Zambia and Irish Aid held the joint partnership biannual meeting on August 26, 2008 to assess progress continued on page 7
October 1 to December 31st 2008
Radio Mphangwe to hit the airwaves By Brian Lingela
R
adio Mphangwe, a community radio initiative in Katete, in the Eastern Province, is set to start operations following the purchase of a building for the station by the Media Trust Fund (MTF). In an interview in Katete, Mpangwe radio station manager, Dickson Phiri said the building to house the station was acquired at a cost of K40 million.
He explained that the lack of a building to house the radio station made it difficult for it to seek assistance from the community because they had not seen anything on the ground. “The lack of a building is what has delayed us. We are now just waiting for technicians to come, if all goes well, we should be testing by September,” he said. The station will broadcast social and economic development programmes in the local Cichewa language
and English language using a 1.5 Kilowatt transmitter which was also provided by the MTF. Phiri noted that over the past six years he had observed several mistakes made by other established radio stations that his would ensure to avoid. He explained that Radio Mphangwe planned to construct a lodge and conference centre as an income generating activity that would help to sustain the station. He said management has already acquired a plot of land at a cost of K860,000 to accommodate
the structures. “We will need money to survive as a station, and here in Katete it is hard to make money, because of our location has limited economic activities. In Katete, there is only Mphangwe Motel that has a conference centre,” he said. The station has been holding its construction permit for about six years, but could not start test broadcasting due to lack of equipment and a building.
REPORT ON THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL C O N F E R E N C E
By Nyambe Muyumbana MISA Zambia representative to the NCC
Introduction The NCC was established by the National Constitution Conference Act No. 19 of 2007 as a forum to examine, debate and adopt proposals for the alteration of the constitution. The Act gave the Conference powers to consider and deliberate the provisions of the
Mung’omba Constitution Review Commission Report and Draft Constitution dated December 29, 2005. The Act also empowers the Conference to add, remove or confirm provisions of the draft Constitution. So far the NCC has held three meetings. Four committees of the Conference which include the Human Rights Committee have not yet met to deliberate on their respective mandates.
First Meeting The first meeting was convened on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 by the Secretary of the NCC. After the Conference was officially opened by President Levy Mwanawasa, the NCC proceeded to electing the NCC Chairperson, Vice Chairpersons and Spokesperson. An Interim Committee to formulate the rules and regulations to guide the proceedings of the Conference and to set up the committees of the Conference was also established. The first session was then adjourned on Friday, December 21, 2007. Second Meeting The Conference was convened for the second sitting on Tuesday, January 8, 2008. The main purpose of the second meeting was to consider and adopt the draft rules and regulations to guide the Conference deliberations in an orderly manner. During the same sitting the Conference elected members to the Disciplinary Committee. Members were also requested to indicate the committees in which they preferred to serve, marking their first, second and third preferences. The NCC Secretariat informed the Conference that it would assign members to various committees after taking into consideration their respective preferences and
PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA
advance of the meeting. This engagement could take the form of identifying and targeting 15 members of the Committee to be invited to a lobbying workshop. MISA Zambia and the media organizations in the country stand a better chance of securing media friendly clauses in the new Constitution. This view is supported by the fact that the existing Articles 56 to 61 of the Mung’omba Draft Constitution are media friendly clauses. The clauses provide for, among others, access to information, freedom of the media, protection for the media practitioner not to disclose source, fair and independent broadcast licensing, independence of the public media, and freedom of association. It is therefore imperative that MISA Zambia embarks upon strategic lobbying so that these clauses are retained the way they are and ensure clear recognition of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) as it obtains in the South African constitution.
MISA News PAGE 5
October 1 to December 31st 2008
MISA ZAMBIA LOOKS STRATEGICALLY INTO THE FUTURE continued from page 1
Jennifer Mfune and Alick Kawerama. Officially opening the workshop, MISA Zambia Chairperson, Henry Kabwe, stated that it was important for the organisation to hold the strategic planning meeting because it was going to help shape the direction of the institution. Kabwe thanked everyone for the commitment which they demonstrated by taking time off their busy schedules to attend the workshop, saying that showed how committed the members were to the cause of the organisation. The strategic planning process involved an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of MISA Zambia. Wo r k s h o p p a r t i c i p a n t s reviewed the organisation’s vision and mission statements, set priorities, goals and strategic objectives. Participants also discussed at length such issues as the global financial crisis and its potential
ZAMBIA 64TH ON By Nshamba Muzungu
Z
ambia has been rated 64th on the 2008 global press freedom rankings released by the Freedom House of the United States of America. According to the Freedom House release, Zambia is ranked 64 out of 195 countries whose status is described as ‘not free’. Out of 48 countries in the sub-Saharan Africa, seven were rated to be ‘free’, 18 countries were ‘partly free’ and 28 countries were ‘not free’. The seven countries which were rated to be ‘free’ include Mauritius at number one, followed by Ghana, Mali, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa and Namibia. Of the 18 countries rated as ‘partly free’ include Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Madagascar, Tanzania and Malawi. Among the 28 countries rated as ‘not free’ fell Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia, PAGE 6 MISA News
interview that it was necessary for MISA Zambia to undertake strategic planning in order for the organization to be focused in carrying out its work and to accomplish its mission successfully. “MISA still has got a lot of work to do with regard to ensuring that there is freedom of expression and media freedom in the country. If you look at the media law reforms, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act, the ZNBC (Amendment) Act MISA Zambia Strategic planning workshop participants and the Freedom of Information Bill, they have threat to the media in Zambia, contentious and generated a not yet been implemented or the coverage of campaigns for heated debate among the enacted since 2002,” Mubita the presidential election which participants. Most participants said. was set for October 30 in expressed strong views that He also said that MISA relation to the way media there was need to distinguish Zambia has the organizations performed in between objective and biased responsibility of making terms of adherence to reporting and to ensure that sure that the media freedom professionalism and code of media practitioners played a is entrenched in the new ethics. non-partisan role during constitution to be produced The issue of media coverage elections. by the National of presidential election Wo r k s h o p f a c i l i t a t o r, Constitutional Conference campaigns was considered Kamona Mubita, said later in an (NCC.) Mubita added that MISA GLOBAL PRESS FREEDOM RANKINGS Z a m b i a h a s a l a r g e membership of both individual and institutional independence of the judiciary Burundi and Liberia. members who are beset by a and of official media The Freedom House myriad of problems which regulatory bodies, registration compiles annual media was why the organisation requirements for both media freedom rankings after a has to strategically plan on outlets and journalists, and the critical analysis of the legal and how it was going to ability of journalists’ groups to political environment of a intervene in order to meet operate freely. particular country. the aspirations of its Under the category of The legal environment members. political environment, the encompasses an examination degree of political control over of the laws and regulations that The facilitator also said the content of news media is could influence media content that part of the strategic evaluated. Issues examined in as well as the government’s planning would involve a this category is made up of the inclination to use these laws field survey to find out what editorial independence of both and legal institutions in order to problems members faced the state-owned and privatelyrestrict the media’s ability to and what additional services owned media, access to operate. or facilities MISA Zambia information and sources, Some of the components could offer them. official censorship and selfconsidered under the Freedom Mubita said since 1990 censorship, the vibrancy of the House annual media freedom when the country returned to media, the ability of both rankings include the positive multiparty democracy, and foreign and local reporters to impact of legal and despite the several cover the news freely and constitutional guarantees for recommendations for the without harassment, and the freedom of expression, the media law reforms, the intimidation of journalists by potentially negative aspects of media media legal the state or other actors, security legislation, the penal environment had undergone including arbitrary detention code and other criminal very little change. and imprisonment, violent statutes, penalties for libel and assaults, and any other threats. defamation, the existence of and ability to use Freedom of Information legislation, the PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA
October 1 to December 31st 2008
MISA Zambia holds its 12th AGM, elects new national governing council By Nshamba Muzungu
T
he Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia last August voted into office its National Governing Council (NGC) for the period 2008 to 2010 following the elections which took place at Garden Motel in Lusaka. During the elections, Henry Kabwe retained his position as Chairperson while the position of Vice Chairperson was scooped by former Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) TV personality, Felistus Chipako after they both went through unopposed. Others who went through unopposed include journalist and media consultant, Joseph Mkandawire as Chairperson for Print, Mabel Kampamba as Chairperson for Training and Grace Zulu as Chairperson for Finance and Development. Talent Ngandwe, a freelance journalist, was re-elected as Chairperson for Environment, Nyambe Muyumbana retained his position of Chairperson for Gender and Human Rights while Lucky Sichula scooped the position of Chairperson, Parliament and Politics. Mulenga Kabiti was re-elected as Chairperson for Broadcasting. Members who will be serving their first year in office are Vice Chairperson Felistus Chipako and Mabel Kampamba of Mission Press as Chairperson for Training. Mkandawire, Zulu and Kabiti, were co-opted on the
NGC in 2007 to fill positions that were left vacant following the resignation by some NGC members. The elections, which were conducted by the Foundation for Democratic Process, (FODEP) and monitored by the Anti-Voter Apathy Project, (AVAP) were declared, free and fair. The newly elected Chairperson, Kabwe called on all members to fully participate in the activities of the organisation in order to take it forward. Kabwe expressed happiness at the manner in which the elections and the campaigns were conducted, adding that it was one of the few occasions the organisation had issue based Newly elected NGC members pose for a group photo campaigns. Kabwe pledged to work hard organisation. together with other members of She observed that women the NGC for the next two years, were not actively involved in which they would be in the office. the media and urged them to He said that members should come out and participate in start on a new page, focus on activities of MISA Zambia. bringing new ideas that would be Mufune said that there was helpful to MISA Zambia and need to devise a strategy of forget about the bickering which working with gender and had rocked the organisation. MEMBERSHIP women organisations in order to The AGM was preceded by enhance understanding on RENEWAL an HIV/AIDS and Gender gender-related issues. NOTICE workshop which was well She lamented that women attended by individual journalists This serves to inform all still remained the most and institutional members from the MISA Zambia marginalised, adding there was within and outside Lusaka. The need therefore to level the members that workshop was conducted by playing field by encouraging MISA regional specialist on membership renewal will more women to participate. Gender and HIV/AIDS, Jennifer commence on April 1, Mufune urged MISA Mufune. Zambia to embrace affirmative 2009. Mufune challenged women action and reserve at least one to take a leading role in MISA The fees are as follows: third of the positions on the Zambia by getting involved in Individual K 20, 000 NGC for women so that they media activities if they were to can easily be integrated. Associate K 10, 000 make a difference in the
Irish Aid pleased with community radio good governance project made towards the implementation of the Community Radio and Good Governance project. Cunningham noted that strong developmental issues around good governance had been raised in all areas of the project and said, “We will put this as a best practice on issues of corruption and good governance. At the same meeting Irish Aid Governance Advisor, Andrew Bowden, said he was happy that audience surveys were underway because such surveys would help guide participating radio stations in their respective programming. He also said his organisation was pleased that gender was being mainstreamed in the production of radio programmes following the training conducted by MISA
Zambia at participating stations. Bowden, however, noted the need to complete the development of the project’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E) framework. “The real challenge is ensuring that monitoring of work is sustained and how to measure it, therefore, the M and E framework is a good start,” he said. Other issues that emerged during the meeting included the need for MISA Zambia to improve the financial monitoring of participating radio stations for them to follow financial regulations. MISA Zambia National Director, Fanwell Chembo, thanked Irish Aid for the
continued support to the organisation. Chembo said the Irish Aid support has gone a long way in contributing to the uplifting of people’s living standards in areas where community radio stations operate. The review meeting was also attended by Irish Aid Governance Programme Assistant, Judith Kankuli, MISA Zambia Broadcasting and Information, Manager, Brian Lingela and Finance Officer, Obert Ng’andu. The Community Radio and Good Governance project started in 2007 and will run until 2010. The project seeks to contribute to the growth of community radio as a development medium in Zambia.
PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA
Institutional K 300, 000 MISA ZAMBIA WEBSITE NOTICE This serves to inform you that the MISA Zambia website was not available since December 27, 2008 due to an attack on the Zamnet server on 27 December, 2008. The website was restored after frantic efforts. However, it has outdated information because the previous website data is yet to be retrieved by Zamnet. Kindly bear with us as we work with Zamnet to address this issue. MISA News PAGE 7
October 1 to December 31st 2008
FACKSON BANDA WINS 2008 MISA MEDIA FREEDOM AWARD By Brian Lingela
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ackson Banda, a Zambian professor of journalism and media studies at the Rhodes University in South Africa, was on September 1, 2008 awarded the MISA 2008 media freedom award at a gala dinner held at the Centurion Lake Hotel in Pretoria, South Africa. Professor Banda was honoured for his contribution to media development in southern Africa and Africa in general through his extensive research, numerous reports and presentations on the media. He has contributed to knowledge on media sustainability, media policy, and new media in southern Africa. He has contributed significantly to the production of professional media personnel through his service at University of Zambia (UNZA) and currently at Rhodes University in South Africa, where he is based. Professor Banda has written a number of books that include books entitled Newspapers and Magazines in Zambia - A question of Sustainability and Elections and the Press in Zambia - The Case of the 1996 Polls. Both books were commissioned by MISA Zambia. Under his leadership as Regional Director for Panos Institute Southern Africa, he spearheaded the development of the Zambia Community Media Forum (ZaCoMeF) and facilitated the production of a book that looked at the use of Information Communication Technology (ICTs) entitled Into or Out of the Digital Divide. The book analysed the use of Internet within the SADC region. His interest in the use of modern technology has enabled him to write and publish on media related issues on the Internet and some of the latest facilities on the Internet. Professor Banda has not been a stranger to the role MISA has played in promoting media freedom in Zambia. Between 1991 and 2005, he conceptualised, produced and presented various radio and PAGE 8 MISA News
television interview programmes, many supported by the Media Institute for
the Panos Institute Southern Africa and in his own right, Professor Banda obtained an
Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia (then the Zambia Independent Media Association [ZIMA]). The programmes, many of them broadcast on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), became some of the few examples of independent broadcast journalism in the country, subjecting politicians and other public figures to the kind of critical questions that epitomised engaged citizenship. A particularly noteworthy television programme series was Your Constitution, which opened up the country’s Mung’omba Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) to greater and more informed public critique, including raising questions about media freedom and independence. Winner of the MISAZambia “Overall Media Freedom” Award for 2007, Banda is one of the few young professors in the Zambian journalism and media profession. Between 2000 and 2001, acting as Executive Director of
interdict from the High Court of Zambia to stop the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) from curtailing the televising of paid-for presidential candidates debates. T h e Z N B C D i r e c t o rGeneral at the time was to confirm the presence of political interference in the C o r p o r a t i o n ’s d e c i s i o n . Despite obtaining a court order, the Corporation refused to broadcast the remaining live programme scheduled for transmission on the eve of the 2001 local government, parliamentary and presidential elections. The state deployed the Zambian paramilitary police to enforce this impunity, defying the rule of law. Even though the programme was not broadcast, the very act of obtaining the interdict was contributory towards asserting media freedom. From August 2004 to 2005, he was co-opted into the Publicity Sub-committee of the Constitution Review Commission appointed by the President of the Republic of Zambia in 2003. His job was to
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provide advice to the Commission on how best it could publicise its work, including presenting a live television and radio phone-in programme entitled Your Constitution. Since 2007, he has been a weekly columnist on media issues on the column – Media Discourse by The Post newspaper of Zambia, a cutting-edge analysis of issues relating to media freedom, freedom of expression and media development in Zambia. In his insatiable interest for media responsibility and ethics within the context of media freedom among media houses, Banda became a founding Board member of the Media Council of Zambia (MECOZ), which took over the functions of the MISAZambia Independent Media Council and the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) Media Ethics and Complaints Committee (MECC). He was secretary to the Council between 2003 and 2005. In view of his distinguished career, Banda was in September, 2006, awarded the prestigious UNESCO Chair in Communication (media and democracy), the first such academic honour to be given to a Rhodes University staff member. Since then, he has also been sitting on the Editorial Board of the Canadian Journal of Communication, Editorial Board of Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies and Board of Directors of ORBICOM – the network of UNESCO Chairs in Communication. In 2007, he was invited as a Thought Leader to blog on political and media freedom issues on the online edition of the Mail & Guardian of South Africa. In the same year, he was commissioned by UNESCO to research and produce a training manual on civic education for media professionals. The manual, soon to be published, will be Continued on page 10
October 1 to December 31st 2008
Zamcom holds first graduation ceremony By Nshamba Muzungu
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he Zambia Institute of Mass Communication Educational Trust, (ZAMCOM) held its first graduation ceremony at which a total of 68 students graduated in journalism on September 19, 2008. The graduates who were drawn from the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 intakes were conferred with certificates and diplomas in journalism and public relations and agriculture journalism, respectively. In Zambia, agriculture journalism is taught exclusively by ZAMCOM. The institution was initially established as an in-house training department of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services in 1980. It was transformed into an independent educational trust through the ZAMCOM Act of 1996 to offer professional training. Officiating at the occasion, Science and Technology Minister, Peter Daka commended the institution for the initiative taken by the board and management to undertake full time training in addition to the in-service training. Daka said that he was confident that the training offered at ZAMCOM would greatly contribute to the improvement of the journalism profession in Zambia. He said that government was committed to creating an enabling environment for the media to operate freely, independently and professionally. The minister said that government had liberalised the airwaves and the media industry and therefore expected various players in the media industry to provide a variety of sources of information and media products in the country. He said that the emergence of community media was a good indicator of the success of the liberalising of the airwaves and the media in the country. The minister underscored the role of trained media
personnel in explaining the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, and Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP). “The need for quality training in the media cannot be overemphasised as the availability of the adequately trained personnel in the media is imperative to the attainment of the millennium goals in the Fifth National Development Plan,” Daka said. He said that there was a good linkage between a viable media industry and overall national development. Daka advised the graduates to uphold media ethics and professionalism and avoid being used by people with ill motives. He urged them to work towards promoting public interest and contributing to Zambia’s development in a positive way. At the same occasion, Vice Chairperson of the ZAMCOM Board, Flavia Chishimba said that quality training of journalists is indispensable because the media played an important role in the development of a vibrant democratic and peaceful society. Chishimba said that ZAMCOM would maintain quality training standards and strive to be a leader in offering the most efficient training to journalists and other players in the communication sector in the southern African region. She pledged that ZAMCOM would continue contributing to the raising of professionalism in the media industry in Zambia, adding that the institution would soon launch an education television station for which a licence had already been granted. C h i s h i m b a , h o w e v e r, appealed to the government to assist the institution in securing a modern transmitter. The television station will be open to public viewing but will be for educational purposes to enhance the standards of learning at the institution She commended government for its efforts in providing an environment that
Journalism graduands at the graduation ceremony was favourable for people wishing to set up different media organisations. “We are happy that the government has made the environment welcoming for those who wish to set up different media organisations. We have seen many radio stations, both commercial and community set up in the recent past. We have also seen a lot of newly-launched newspapers and magazines,” she noted.
Ms. Chishimba appealed to the government to assist the institution to secure a modern transmitter considering that all other aspects are already in place. The television station will be open to public viewing but will be for the sole purpose of education in order to enhance the standards of the learning institution.
Let’s walk the talk on gender issues By Jane Da Silva
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ender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Zambia Chairperson Nelson Banda has called for sustainable financing towards women empowerment and gender equality in Zambia. Speaking at a cyber and human trafficking workshop as part of the activities for the 16 days of gender activism at ZAMCOM in Lusaka on 25 November, 2008, Banda said that while many countries had embraced the call to demonstrate greater commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women, the implementation of key principles had not received the necessary financial and human resources to ensure that
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gender equality and women empowerment took place. “Evaluation of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action undertaken in 2004 (BEIJING+10) showed that, while many African countries have made efforts to mainstream gender in their policies and plans, the allocation of resources in national budgets has not equally reflected a change in orientation and the differentiated needs of women and men,” he said. He revealed that a recent research conducted by the Association of Women’s Rights in Development continued on pg 12 MISA News PAGE 9
October 1 to December 31st 2008
The Zambian Government on Digital Broadcasting
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he world is expected to switch to digital broadcasting by 2015, and MISA Zambia Radio and Good Governance Project Officer Chanda Noward Mfula assesses the preparedness of the country to undertake this major step which countries like South Africa have embraced. Currentlty, Zambians and the broadcasting community are utilizing analogue broadcasting equipment to send and receive visual and audio broadcast signals. However, the world is changing and soon it will embrace Digital broadcasting t e c h n o l o g y. D i g i t a l broadcasting, according to Wikipedia, is the practice of using digital data rather than analogue waveforms to carry broadcasts over television channels or assigned radio frequency bands. Digital switchover or “digital migration”, as others prefer to call it, is such a major change. Although the switchover is global and has a global deadline, each country has set its own deadline for switching off analogue transmission completely. In fact some countries including Kenya and South Africa have set their deadlines far earlier than the global deadline of 2015. As for Zambia, 2015 may seem a long time from now, but it is not. Given the cost and other implications of the digital switchover, we need to begin working now. It is not just the broadcasters who will be affected by the switchover. Consumers of broadcasting services, in this case, members of the public will be affected too. While broadcast stations will be required to acquire digital-compatible equipment, and transmit through digital transmitters, the viewing public (in case of television, for example) will need to buy digital-compliant television set top boxes or digital boxes that would facilitate receiving of digital signals by analogue system. This is just a tip of the iceberg. What is involved in the PAGE 10 MISA News
process of digital switchover is a lot. It seems less convincing, however, to think that Zambia is working at the right pace. To date, the majority of broadcasting stations have insufficient knowledge about the impending switchover. This means that they are not even factoring in the changeover in their strategic focuses though they will have to bear the bulk of the cost. The lack of knowledge on this issue also spill over to the members. Perhaps we can digress to South Africa and learn how this government has managed to address the issue of digital migration. The Zambian government has set a national deadline of 2012. Early in 2005, the South African government constituted a work group that included experts from the broadcast industry and other stakeholders such as civil society, consumer groups, and many others. This work group was mandated to assist the government in creating a
digital agenda. A year later, the work group produced a 153page report and today South Africa has gone digital and are in a phase known as “dual illumination” in which broadcasters are transmitting in both analogue and digital to allow households (the public) to migrate gradually and costeffectively to digital broadcasting until the deadline of 2012 when analogue will be switched off completely. The preparations and sensitization in this regard started earlier. After illustrating the progress recorded by South Africa and what strategy that country put in place, lets now delve back to Zambia. So far government has not yet set a deadline, if it has then the date was not well publicized. Coming to the consumers, the ministry is not disseminating information to prepare the public on what changes and adjustments they would face and have to make. This shows that the flow of information from the Ministry
FACKSON BANDA WINS 2008 MISA MEDIA FREEDOM AWARD used in tertiary media educational institutions that are interested in raising the skills profile of civic journalists. There is a strong element of media freedom as a human right in the document. Between 2006 and 2008, Professor Banda led efforts under the auspices of the BBC World Service Trust and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to develop a comprehensive African media development framework. This work has resulted in a coherent and comprehensive framework within which to argue for African media development. It has also become a recognised framework by many journalists, largely through his appearances and presentations at high-profile gatherings, including the May 3, 2008 celebrations in Maputo, Mozambique, where he formally tabled the framework for media development. Encapsulated in this framework is a strong component on media freedom and independence. Recently, in 2008, Professor Banda was invited as consultant to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on African media development issues that incorporate the notion of African
media development support mechanisms for media freedom and independence. In the same year, he was inducted into Honorary Membership of the Golden Key International Honour Society at Rhodes University, South Africa in recognition of excellence in teaching and other contributions to media. Other notable Honorary Members of this student-led society, whose membership is drawn from the top 15% highachieving students, include such distinguished figures as Roberta Bondar, Canada's first female astronaut, Bill Cosby, worldrenowned entertainer, the Most Reverend Desmond M. Tutu, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, and the late Ronald W. Reagan, former President of the United States. Prof Banda was been invited to sit on the UNESCO International Team of Experts on Media and Information Literacy. As such, he chaired a session of the experts’ inaugural workshop in Paris in July 2008. This is an on-going commitment. He has also presented several academic and professional papers on media and communication.
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of Information and Broadcasting Services has been inadequate. One hopes for better implementation of and better plans for phasing out analogue broadcasting in Zambia and not the haphazard way we have handled things in the past were even laws such as the IBA and ZNBC Acts have been partially implemented. For instance only the aspect of TV licence has so far been implemented while ZNBC has not been transformed into a national broadcaster – putting the cart before the horse so to speak. This scenario regarding digitalization may explain why a country whose television started earlier than South Africa lags shamefully far behind the latter. The government must realize that the information society is the fulcrum of all development in the modern world. There is need for the nation to know more, and now, about the digital migration. Kabwe Joins R e g i o n a l Executive Committee The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Chairperson, Henry Kabwe, has been elected to serve as a member of the MISA regional executive committee. Others who have been elected to the four person committee include Lomcebo Ndlamini of Swaziland as Chairperson, Laughty Dube of Zimbabwe as Vice Chairperson and S o u t h A f r i c a ’s N o m a Rangama as member. The executive committee is responsible for ensuring that MISA policy matters were implemented and is elected from within the Regional Governing Council. It comprises chapter chairpersons. Kabwe said that his election to the committee was an honour for Zambia and an opportunity to ensure that Zambia’s agenda of media law reforms was addressed at a higher level.
October 1 to December 31st 2008
CIVIL SOCIETY JOINS MEDIA BODIES IN REJECTING STATUTORY REGULATION By Nshamba Muzungu
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ivil society organisations pledge full support for the advocacy by media bodies against statutory regulation. The two civil society organisations are Transparency International Zambia, (TIZ) and the Foundation for Democratic Process, (FODEP). Speaking at a press briefing called by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia, Press Association of Zambia (PAZA), the Press Freedom Committee of the Post (PFC), Zambia Media Women A s s o c i a t i o n ( Z A M WA ) , Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ), the Media Council of Zambia and Press Freedom Committee of The Post, TIZ Executive Director, Goodwell Lungu, stated that his organisation stood in solidarity with media bodies on the fight against statutory regulation because there was no way a country could move forward democratically without freedom of the press. Lungu said that it was unfortunate that parliament which had a huge task of moving the country forward democratically was concentrating on trying to suffocate the freedom of the media. He said that it was unwarranted for the government and some members of parliament to be calling for statutory regulation because their decision was not based on facts but on emotions. Lungu called on parliamentarians to immediately withdraw their decision to have the media regulated by a statutory body and instead set the right precedent by enacting the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill. FODEP’s representative, McDonald Chipenzi, said that democracy could only flourish if citizens were well informed and were willing to use their right and freedom of expression to participate in the affairs of the country by adding their voices to public debates through the media. “The Foundation for Democratic Process believes
that a healthy democratic society is not simply an arena in which individuals pursue their own personal goals but one in which information sharing is the order of the day,” Chipenzi said. Chipenzi said that the media had made a significant contribution to Zambia’s electoral process and had represented a key dimension towards democratic consolidation in the country. “It is for this reason that FODEP, as an organisation which has been monitoring the elections since the return to multi-party politics in the country in 1990, believes that the facilitation of the independent press in the country enhances the credibility, confidence and legitimacy of the electoral process,” Chipenzi observed. He called on policy makers to respect the role of the media and facilitate an environment in which journalists are able to perform their noble duties without hindrance or fear. He also implored journalists to uphold high professional standards in their work. MISA Zambia Chairperson Henry Kabwe urged the g o v e r n m e n t a n d parliamentarians to rescind their decision to support statutory regulation and thereby allow the media to regulate itself through the Media Council of Zambia (MECOZ). He said in this way the country can continue to be a beacon of true democracy, where divergent views are tolerated and respected as a universal right as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Kabwe said that the views expressed by some of the opposition party members of parliament was an indication that the democracy that the country had fought for was in danger and could be reversed adding that the beginning of dictatorship was exhibited through tendencies of intolerance to divergent views. He said that it was regrettable that some parliamentarians had chosen to condition the enactment of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill to the
statutory regulation of the media. Kabwe described the development as unfortunate because the FOI was meant to benefit the Zambian people generally while the media was just a small faction of the intended beneficiaries to the FOI Bill which was still pending. “We therefore, reject these calls and urge the government and progressive members of parliament to rescind their calls because the calls were being made in an emotional manner and subjectively,” Kabwe said. He said that the recommendations to regulate the media through a statutory body, because of their perceived biased coverage of the October 30, 2008 presidential election were misplaced. He called on the government to use the
available provisions in the Electoral (Code of Conduct) Regulations of 2006 that govern the media conduct during the elections. Kabwe said the media would not allow emotions to w a s h d o w n Z a m b i a ’s democracy because of minor differences or mistakes in the media. These could be ironed out through dialogue and other established channels for the lodging complaints on the conduct of the media. He further called on members of parliament and government to instead focus on the urgent need to implement the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) (Amendment) Act of 2002.
MISA ZAMBIA EMBARKS ON MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR RADIO STATIONS By staff reporter
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n November, 2008, MISA Zambia embarked on management training workshops for community radio stations (CRS) under the Irish Aid funded Radio and Good Governance Project. The Radio and Good Governance Project aims at enhancing the capacity of community radio stations as a development medium in Zambia. Topics offered during the training workshops include operational systems, internal controls, financial regulations, administration manuals, role of the board, management functions, compliance, and editorial policy. The training is a follow-up to the strategic planning workshops that MISA Zambia conducted at the 15 participating radio stations in 2007 and 2008. It is targeted at management staff and board members. The training workshops were conducted by Ben Mukala of the In-Service
PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA
Training Trust (ISTT) of Lusaka supported by a team of MISA Zambia secretariat staff. Workshops were held on site separately for groups of management staff and board members drawn from each of the radio stations. This arrangement helped each station to focus on training needs and challenges peculiar to the station. In the end home grown solutions were also sought. The first station to receive the training was Petauke Explorers Radio in Petauke. Opening the training workshop, MISA Zambia National Director, Fanwell Chembo, reiterated the media mother body’s commitment to media freedom in Zambia. Chembo expressed hope that the training would go a long way in improving the management skills of the staff and the board. He urged the participants to be continued on page 12
MISA News PAGE 11
October 1 to December 31st 2008
MISA ZAMBIA, MEDIA BODIES MOURN PRESIDENT MWANAWASA By Nshamba Muzungu
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edia bodies in Zambia have described President Levy Mwanawasa’s death on August 19, 2008 as a blow to the struggle for media law reforms in Zambia. The media bodies, which include MISA Zambia, the Press Committee of the Post (PFC) Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ), Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) and the Zambia Media Women association (ZAMWA) stated that the were saddened by Dr. Mwanawasa’s death. MISA Zambia Chairperson, Henry Kabwe, said in a statement that his organisation and the media community at large had been robbed of a media friendly President who showed commitment to media law reforms. “The National Governing Council, NGC and the entire membership of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, MISA Zambia, would like to express their heartfelt condolences to the first family and the country on the untimely death of our beloved President, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa SC, who passed away at the Percy Military Hospital in France,” the statement read. Kabwe said that the Mwanawasa administration had given the media a number of opportunities to push for media law reforms through the
From Left to Right: MISA Director Fanwell Chembo, PAZA vice chairperson Amos Chanda, PFC chairperson Chansa Kabwela, ZUJ secretary general Nigel Mulenga and MISA Chairperson Henry Kabwe laying wreaths on Mwanawasa’s grave at the Embassy Park.
Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Amendment Act, both of 2002. He said that the late Mwanawasa’s announcement on January 11, 2008 that the Freedom of Information Bill would be re-introduced in Parliament and also the ultimate desire to have all the recommendations in the Draft Mung’omba Constitution on the media retained therein, was a clear testimony of
MISA ZAMBIA EMBARKS ON MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR RADIO STATIONS professional and ethical in their work and conduct. The training workshop at Petauke Explorers was followed by similar workshops at Chikaya Community Radio in Lundazi, Breeze FM and
Radio Maria Zambia in Chipata. At the end of each workshop, participants observed that the training was invaluable and much appreciated as it offered new
insight in the management of various radio stations. The participants prepared follow-up action plans for key areas that arose during the workshops. MISA Zambia has scheduled the next round of training workshops for 2009 to be held for radio stations located in Central, Luapula and Northern Provinces.
Mwanawasa’s commitment to media law reforms in Zambia. The Chairperson said that the late President was a true democrat and demonstrated that he was a true leader who was committed to enhancing democratic dispensation not only in the country but the entire sub-region and the African continent at large. He said that President Mwanawasa should best be honoured by continuing to build on the good foundation that he had laid.
In paying tribute to Dr. Mwanawasa, the Chairperson accompanied by members of the National Governing Council and National Director of MISA Zambia laid wreaths on the grave of the late President at Embassy Park on Independence Avenue in Lusaka.
LETS WALK THE TALK ON GENDER ISSUES (AWID) indicates that many women’s organisations were underfunded, experience greater difficulty in accessing funds than in the past, and may require doubling funding they had in the past to do the same work. Banda said that though Africa as a region seemed more likely to receive funding, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) showed progress only in terms of policy pronouncement while little reflected in terms of the budget allocations for advocacy, education and awareness initiatives. “Among the reasons that donors give for their gender blindness are efficiency, meaning reaching more people by funding groups for both men and women; democracy by involving organisations that do not promote women exclusivity; efficacy by not targeting women as this is harmful to them,” he said. Banda added that organisations in Zambia dealing with women’s issues were struggling to get funding to implement their programmes and activities while others may have closed down.
PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM IN ZAMBIA