HOME Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani has directed the registrar of societies to come up with details about the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) executive committee to ascertain the leadership’s legality. But former PAZA president Hicks Sikazwe cautioned against losing focus on the current debate on media regulation by politicising the collaboration between PAZA and the Press Freedom Committee of The Post.
The Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) also defended the association saying there was nothing sinister about signing a memorandum of understanding with another professional association. Mr Mangani said in an interview yesterday that as far as the Government was concerned the association’s executive committee could have been operating illegally.
“As far as we are concerned the operation of PAZA is illegal and it is for this reason that I have asked the Registrar of Societies to establish when the association held the last meeting,” he said.
He said he wanted the law enforcement agencies to establish if receiving money from another institution was not tantamount to corruption and if there was no motive in giving the association money.
Mr Sikazwe, who is immediate past president of PAZA, said politicising the PAZA-PFC relationship would shift attention from the important issue and derail the establishment of the much needed self regulatory media body.
“Since the Government has provided leadership by embracing dialogue over the matter (media regulation), calls to impeach the PAZA executive are against the very spirit of dialogue fostered by Government early this month,” he said. He said only PAZA members can remove the executive and not external political interests.
He said the current executive must be given a chance to put its house in order but implored them to call for an annual general meeting earlier than November this year.
Mr Sikazwe said there was nothing wrong with a media organisation collaborating with another on a common issue adding that when he was PAZA president, the association worked with the Media Institute of Southern Africa to lobby for media reforms. “It was that collaboration between MISA and PAZA that we formed the MECOZ which appears to have taken a back seat,” he said.
And ZUJ said the attacks on PAZA executive were uncalled for and an infringement on the rights of media bodies. ZUJ president Morgan Chonya said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday the association was concerned at the present debates.
[Times of Zambia]
Yes bwana Mangani, probe them who can people who are supposed to be providing checks and balances to the government be corrupt themselves just line their little pockets and sustaining the arrogance of a Fred M’meembe.
Mangani just make ZNBC, Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail popular, by letting write the truth not the controlled stuff they continue chaffing out. Infact for me I cannot allow any MMD chap to appear on my television set, never. Each time one appears- from RB down to a ward chairman I switch off. I cant remember when I last looked at the Times and Daily. Let these papers compete with the Post by being innovative not being in a straight jacket.
Police have instructed to arrest George Mpompo over the K10m saga which he has actually paid back.
It appears the PAZA executive had mishandled this MOU with the Post. GRZ officials will ensure that the Executive of PAZA is booted out of office.
Much as you fixed on corruption fix them also, no one is perfect the post and PAZA have failed to correct corruption
Hunter Hunted. If the post gave PAZA a monthly allowance of K10m a month what where they getting in return. Could it have been charity?
This PAZA issue will just die a natural death. What is it that the Govt of RB has started and has ended in their favour? Nada! The only problem is that in this matter, there is a word called, “Post” involved! This word gives MMD sleepless nights.
i think it’s better to investigate quietly than to issue public directives.
If only this energy and zeal was directed at developing our country for our children and our children’s children…
Mandingo @ 8 The reason to go public is all political. So was thae case with Zambian Airways. Alot of wind was pharted on this but where has it ended up? Dust bin of history. Our leaders have nothing to offer so they have to come up with all innuendoes and rubish to take our attention from real issues.
#3 Deja Vu,
Actually the hunt for Mpombo by Ndola police is to say the least shocking. He is being treated like a criminal, a fugitive, for no apparent reason and we know that the police are acting on instructions from Mangani and his boss.Mr Mangani should come out clean on this one instead of talking about the legality of the PAZA executive and all that stuff. They say Mpombo is being charged with obtaining pecuniary advantage by false pretence yet he settled the debt and we were told the matter was closed. Why are the police not charging Thandiwe, the ghost teacher for drawing salaries by false pretences? Can you explain Mr Mangani?
PAZA- No need to investigate. Instead invistigate Konga and his Oil saga. Investigate Mulongoti for fueling violence. Investigate…. Invistigate…. and invistigate. This wont bring nshima on peoples tables. Development first-that’s my opinion
When the Hunter Gets Hunted Part 2
If Mpombo acted against the law by issuing the check that bounced then he should be prosecuted whether he later paid cash or not.It’s like forging a signature and later withdrawing it once the forgery is discovered!
I think am completely lost on this issue.. I dont want to display my ignorance. maybe somebody can help me… Is PAZA a GOVERNMENT institution or private independent body of its own?? Is it is a GRZ unit , does it have some statutory or regulatory responsibility that would be compromised by any donation? if Not, which Zambian Law prevents NGO independent orgisations from receiving financial assistance from anyone subject to Money Laundering Act.. So GRZ should not receive any donation too from anyone right? where’s the problem?
This is all what a F.O.O.L.I.SH governement can emback on. F.O.O.L.ISH Mangani you have beet turned into a state Dog against those who are against the governement. Can anything good come out of a visionless government? Mangani can you investagte Konga not PAZA. Konga is corrupt not PAZA. Zedi hopeless politics.
This is all what a F.O.O.L.I.SH governement can emback on. F.O.O.L.ISH Mangani you have been turned into a state Dog against those who are against the governement. Can anything good come out of a visionless government? Mangani can you investagte Konga not PAZA. Konga is corrupt not PAZA. Zedi hopeless politics.
What do you expect from UNIP government? The are the days of UNIP vigilanties. This is all what a F.O.O.L.I.SH governement can emback on. F.O.O.L.ISH Mangani you have been turned into a state Dog against those who are against the governement. Can anything good come out of a visionless government? Mangani can you investagte Konga not PAZA. Konga is corrupt not PAZA. Zedi hopeless politics.
I wonder whether we have people of integrity in Zambia. I thought the ministry of home affairs had learn enough lessons from Kabwela´s Issue? This government will never learn and they are a bunch of useless and shameless vultures. Does Mangani have a Wife and Children or In-laws? He seems to have no moral defective and he does not care about how he embarrasses people around him. I would be the most embarrassed if this man was a father of anyone.
Children playing with fire the whole day, right?
You Guys Mangani is just doing his Job.It is illegal not to pay annual returns;reports to registrar of societies according to Law.They could have a case to answer.