The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia has condemned in the strongest terms the harassment of journalists from public media houses at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) press briefing this morning.
Journalists from public media institutions like the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail newspapers were on Thursday chased from the press briefing which was held on Lewanika close, off Brentwood drive in Kabulonga on claims that they only publish negative stories about the NDC.
ZNBC journalists Brian Mwale was among those verbally harassed and sent out of the press briefing by the NDC sympathizers.
According to MISA Zambia investigations, all public media journalists were chased from covering the briefing based on the aforementioned claims.
“We would like to condemn this act in the strongest terms as it is an infringement on media freedoms and rights.
Further, it is vital to note that if the NDC is aggrieved as regards media conduct, it should direct such complaints to the rights stakeholders and not harass reporters. Such acts are meant to intimidate the media and obstruct them from news and information gathering during their line of duty,” said MISA Zambia Chairperson Hellen Mwale.
Ms. Mwale added, “MISA Zambia however wishes to commend the police who were present at the briefing for protecting the public media from physical harassment by NDC youths. MISA Zambia therefore appeals to political parties and members of the public to desist from harassing the media as they carry out their duties.”
This is sad. The same Kambwili who defended the public media now has cadres that victimise the media. The problem is that the cadres know that these public media journalists only go to opposition party events just to look for something negative to say about the opposition parties. For example, HH can say everything about how the UPND plan to improve the economy, education, health, agriculture, mining, tax rates, toll gates etc. But its the mention of “protecting street vendors” that will hit the headlines as “HH Wants Cholera to Spread.” The moment our journalist from both the public and private media start being professional is the day that will be fully respected and freed from political victimisation.
let the public media learn to report factually..
What about the private media, do they report factually? In any case the same Kambwili used public media to demonize his opponents. The same cadre culture he cultivated in PF has been transplanted to the NDC
Polarisation of the country extends to the media also. The same ECL preaching national unity as a principle sees nothing wrong in this. Under late LPM, Sata was interviewd on ZNBC television repeatedly by Ben Kangwa and government of the day never stopped this. Kambwili as information minister would not let that happen but despite that he has a following in politics.