The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) says lack of action on cadres that are bent on harassing journalists has led to some members of the public to emulate them in harassing journalists.
MISA Zambia Chapter Chairperson Henry Kabwe says it is sad that the violence against journalists in the country by some political party cadres is being emulated by some members of the public.
Mr. Kabwe’s sentiments come in the wake of reports that on Wednesday, this week, relatives of the former Human Resource Officer in the Ministry of Health Henry Kapoko harassed journalists who had gone to cover his case at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court complex.
He called for decisive steps to be taken against the cadres in order to put an end to the harassment of journalists by cadres as other members of the general public might to be inclined to emulate the actions of the cadres.
Mr. Kabwe urged both the ruling and opposition political party leadership to order their cadres to stop the violence and harassment of journalists.
“We are calling upon presidents of both the ruling and opposition parties to ensure that they order party cadres of their respective political parties to stop violence against journalists. We are also urging them to make responsible statements that can not spark violence,” Mr. Kabwe stated.
He told ZANIS in Lusaka today that MISA is concerned that grievances against journalists have not been dealt with promptly and conclusively.
Mr. Kabwe further noted that it is unfortunate that the harassment of journalists in the country is beginning to attract regional and international attention.
The Post has since written to SADC requesting the regional bloc to intervene in the harassment of its journalists.
And the MISA Chairperson has accused cadres from a named political party of having created an impression that journalists in the country discharge their duties unprofessionally.
He said journalists in the country have always striven to discharge their duties professionally amid a working environment which has at times not been conducive.
Mr. Kabwe said there is need for politicians and other stakeholders in the country to support existing media institutions.
He however, also urged media institutions in the country to unite and support one another in order to win public confidence.
“We are urging journalists to support their colleagues that are being harassed and not detach themselves. The media must streamline their operations and work towards getting public confidence,” he said.
Of late some journalists have been physically harassed and expelled from meetings where public officers had been officiating.
ZANIS
Ni nkakashi umwanakashi uyu.Anyway she knows that the source of supply may be severed very soon hence the frustrations being vented on people who a merely doing their work.
Follow the leader as usual sad that this same lady belong to the same proffession she is attacking. Sad.
Its MMD cadres!!! Why not mention them? Going around in circles.
why should this fimo fimo start harassing journialsits who were not there when her brother was stealing. She should just come to terms witht he fact that ka kapoko stole from this same tax payer (journalist) she is harassing.
The govt should pass a law that protects journalists from such harrassment. i think it should be like the offence of beating or harrassing a cop, after all journalists are our eyes.
Ubututu muleke, please can the law proscute these villagers harassing journalist. please can our journalists be b protected from these hooligans.
Ubututu at its best I agree. 2009 and MMD caders and there masters are behaving like this? Those hideous monistors should desist from those activities. It shows that some people are living in the early stone age era.
I think its painfully obvious that govt could care less about the saftey of journalists, my cousin Anthony Mukwita was a victim tor many years during the Chiluba regime but he stuck to his guns. Let these guys do the same until this govt is forced out!
get your camera out of my face you id** ! shouted Angela Kapoko
Angela Kapoko: “Iwe chik%la, nde kuchena!”
The Post and its team has repeatedly complained against harassment of journalists, few seemed to care , now that the evil has been extended to govt journalists perhaps some thing will be done.
Please leave Journalists to do their jobs Angela, its not good to harrase them like that.
LT are you sure these are MMD cadres and not relatives to Kapoko? I cant see the difference myself.
Kapoko’s sister is a good openent for ester. Promoters please organise a fight for her
Am sure she doen`st feel the pain people paying these very high taxes are going through
The post has been crying mwebantu ba MMD baletuchita harass, no one came to their help not even LT reported their cry. Now its govnt jouralist being Harassed this has attracted attention of LT and others. Stop double standards. Let us denounce this thing for once. I am even happy that the govnt journalist are also beeing harassed may be Shikapwasha will do somthing about it.
This is what you get in a primtive country where people so poor they are ready to do dirty jobs for amounts as small as 50pin. Its a pity we dont have GRZ reporters of the calibre of SAM ZULU. this guy inspite of working for state controlled media would take on the MIGHTY KK and his Unip. So was Marta Paynter. Not now. we have small people who have no respect for there professions.
No need to fight innocent people Angela, nashiya impiya chikashana. Just accept it
Thats alot of hair Angela.. leave the Camera man alone… though you were fighting that one ..th other one captured you..even more interesting at a point where you acting line a moron
Chi Ngoma. its gud they lynched you id*&t. For Ngoma, a hes is better off dd
The MMD cadres always pick on weak people. Next time you photojournalists should walk around in droves and start judo or karate lessons. The only language cadres understand is violence. If anyone was to lay their hands on me like that woman is doing man or woman they would be face to face with the ground
journalists have tried me. thats why they need a beating.
Ok but ama journalists should be doing some kick boxing. look at the ka journalist awe kena kalya kuti wakekatamo wapange ishina nga angela.
And MISA has accused cadres from a named party, what does this mean LT. This is what we are talking about unproffession reporting, why can’t you just name the cadres that they are from MMD, it’s a fact, are you also MMD cadres or whom are you fearing? i thought LT is a private blog? come on men no one is going to fire you, unless Znbc, daily-mail and times who work under instructions, not you, report wisely.
mwakamba bamwisho
Iwe ka Angela that photojournalist did not help your brother do whatever he did, So osasilizilapo chifukushi pama photojournalist, if you are annoyed, please you have the right to petition ACC,the police and DEC then express you anger in the court of law not on an innocent journalist on duty. And you are luck that he is a well behaved man other you could have been slapped.
# 2 is this savage a journalist also, i doubt
Only nonesense is witness in africa. Very fontini indeed, please follow Obama reviving mankind. Africa dear pipo is a mess. Our leaders in the Banda’s are even horrible. What can be envision in these Fontini’s. I’m glad Sata and Hachilema have annouced a park, probably this would mark a new begining. Tick tack, tick tack… time is of essence: We are coming
This is a very primitive way of expressing your anger ba Angela Kapoko, those people are just doing their work, the best thing you would have done is to ascend on your elder brother for bringing shame on the family. Typical kamushi!!!!!!!!
Reading ama issues ya pa Zed you surely need strong pain killers.
that is the problem with some journalists like this misa’s henry kabwe. no logical analysis. they think with their hearts. how did he jump to that conclusion? court records are full of cases of assault for various reasons? is there any connection to party cadres? i know it is not correct, but it would be more logical to say that party cadres learnt thier behaviour from the society in which they live.
The country has spawned mob rule due to breakdown of law and order. The inspector general of police and his commissioners are, all appointed by the president. To stay in their jobs, these stooges turn a blind eye to the activities of the ruling party’s cadres. They only act when goaded by their political masters. That means favouring the government of the day.
The so-called cadres think they can break the law and get away with it. Any political party that condones lawlessness should be held to account. Frankly I do not think Zambia should have these thugs running amok sanctioned by their respective parties. It is one thing to have party organizers and another to have lawless thugs going around harrasing people.
we are just spoiling our name in the region by harrassing journalists. there is nothing can say to any nation experiencing the same. we are not even fit to give advise to other nations experiencing similar crisis.
#34
we lost the moral right to advise other nations the moment we trashed our own constitutional provisions by refusing to accept the results of our own elections.