The Media Liaison Committee says it has received with shock the statement from Minister of Information and Broadcast Services, Dora Siliya that the Zambian Government has instructed its entire machinery not to do business with a Zambian private media institution, Prime Television and that those that already had contracts with the institution must terminate these contracts.
Committee Chairperson Enock Ngoma says this action by the Government is not only illegal but also immoral.
Mr Ngoma says the move is illegal as it goes against the spirit of fair competition, consumer protection, and public procurement regulations.
“Why should the Government disadvantage a local business by instructing other customers not to buy or deal with a private company? This is immoral since Prime TV is a local Zambian company that offers a public service to Zambians as an employer mainly in the in the media industry and a tax payer to the treasury through the various taxes collected by the Zambia Revenue Authority”, he said.
Mr Ngoma has reminded the Zambian Government, in case they are not aware, that the Government business and finance that they want to deny Prime TV are derived from the very taxes collected from Zambians who include Prime TV and its staff, and users of Prime TV media services.
“Prime TV as a Zambian company duly registered and in compliance with PACRA under Companies Act and IBA under the Independence Broadcasting Authority Act, is a tax payer and employer of many Zambian citizens. Prime TV is also a provider of vital information, news, education and entertainment through its various media platforms to millions of Zambians who too are voters, tax payers, tax that is enjoyed by the same government that is trying to deny business to this media institution”, Mr Ngoma added.
He said Prime TV as a Zambia company is not expected to be denied business opportunities by the very Zambian Government that daily collects taxes from it.
Mr Ngoma said the Committee is aware that this is not the first time that the Zambian Government is using its financial muscle from tax payers’ money to kill a private Zambian media by denying the business access to its services.
“In the past, the MMD Government stifled the growth of local media by secretly instructing government wings and departments not to advertise or grant interviews to the private media. This was done to The Post, The Monitor, Radio Phoenix, and Breeze FM among others and Honourable Siliya was again in Government. It is therefore not surprising that she has picked up from where she left at the time to bring confusion to the media”, he added.
Mr Ngoma says it is also depressing to realise that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services has got seasoned media practitioners who should have advised against the decision to sideline Prime TV.
He said Ms Siliya herself is a seasoned broadcaster while the Permanent Secretary Mr Amos Malupenga is a renowned journalist and former Managing Editor at the country’s largest independent newspaper that time, The Post. Naturally, one would not expect such hostility from these two media personalities.
“Studies have shown that African governments are in the habit of using government resources to disadvantage private media and private companies that are providing services to the opposition parties, CSOs or citizens deemed critical of the government”, he added.
Mr Ngoma has further reminded the PF Government that there is a difference between taxpayer’s money and PF money saying the party and its cadres are free to tell their own private companies and businesses not to advertise in Prime TV if they deem it not to be to their benefit.
He said the PF cannot use tax payers’ money collected through the government machinery and government departments to harm the business interests of Prime TV or disadvantage it from fair competition as a private company.
Mr Ngoma has appealed to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Trade and the Ministry of Justice, among others, that understand good governance and business environments to advise their colleagues on the illegality of this action and how it kills local businesses in Zambia who are the very sources of job creation and taxes that our heavily indebted government dearly needs.
“This government action also contributes to Zambia being downgraded into junk status among investors and those seeking to set up businesses as it sends a negative message that a group of individuals abuse tax payers’ money to kill local businesses. It is also hypocritical that the same government can claim to support local entrepreneurs when in fact not”, he said.
Mr Ngoma said to operate a media company in Zambia has become a thankless and non-profitable job as the government is always going all out to overtax the news print and broadcast equipment.
He has since called on government to rescind its decision on Prime TV and stop blackmailing independent media with taxpayer’s money.
Mr Ngoma said Prime TV is equally a tax payer that should not be segregated. If they have any regard for media freedom, let them cancel this despotic decision and has emphasised on on the need to always engage in dialogue before taking drastic measures.
Vama hala vinata, some tv station had a mantra @ when you pay it will show.
what happens to tax paying citizens that rely on prime tv for information? is this not blacking out your own citizens?
Customers choose who do business with. If Govt as a customer of Prime Tv has chosen not to work with you….so be it. Go and find other customers.
Fortunately, I don’t rely on this TV station. Why refuse to air an advert on corona virus when other TV stations are helping in sensitising the public? He should have refused in a polite manner, but he was too arrogant. If you are not infected, you are affected.
When shawa was miscarrying himself and boasting, you zipped up.
When Government moves to correct the situation, you groan and whine.
May sanity reign in your hearts.
Covid 19 knows no business.
Yes he wanted payment. Govt has a tendency of not paying ( and if they did, not on time). He is running a business, he is not a charity. He has not pay his workers. If he doesn’t, you will scold him. Remember you demonized mmembe for not paying his workers!!
Let those news analysts on your TV find customers for you. As for govt….no more business with arrogant media.
This is extremely cheap. The private media has been abused financially and otherwise and you wanted him to smile when government was asking the same media stations to offer free services?
PS Malupenga is the one who started this by singling out Gerald Shaw’s when he was merely spokesperson of all private media as a chairman. The truth is GRZ has bone to chew with prime TV for consistency in hosting proponents against bill 10. !!
Nothing illegal. If you want to do business with the government of the day then please like everyone else follow the same rules. You can’t bite the hand that feeds you and then expect manna from heaven to fall. If we can get rid of an American ambassador for insolence and disrespect to our country who is prime TV?
Prime TV is a Zambian media organisation who employ many Zambians and KZ dont worry u will need Prime TV after 2021 going forward when u will be in opposition mekani lelo pay back time will come.
Kaizer, tell the nation what business government currently gives Prime TV? The adverts I see are from universities that you are not funding and are desperate to reach out to larger audiences for enrollments. ZNBC could no longer provide this large platform. The statement was purely blackmail, to threaten Trade Kings and others from advertising on Prime TV. The Zambian citizens will certainly decide to support companies that advertises on Prime TV through mass buying of their products.
Look here, this is a government that knows nothing about morality, ethics and legality. They are a lawless bunch that think the law doesnt apply to them.
There isnt the slightest regard for the law in this government.
That is why you can have people who are serial drunks busy assaulting citizens and discharging firemarms anyhow working in statehouse.
You can have the constitution clearly say that during an appeal of electoral results, the speaker of the national assembly shall act as president, but you have a guy hold on to power.
This is a failed government that MUST go.
Go kwisa. 2021 we are winning because majority of zambian are on board with our development programs. Keep crying ati bani jata votee badala
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow [a]we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” – James 4:13-17
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what tomorrow brings” – Prov 27:1
Your life is but a breathe my friend. You can easily not wake up tomorrow. Take a deep breathe swallow a chill pill and be humble, before you are humbled.
continued…..We bembas have a saying “ichibomfuma, ecitulika”.
A very loose translation “to be forewarned is to be forarmed”.
When your day comes, remember that you were forewarned.
Beat another hell out’a h².
It’s rumored that h² a.k.a seer 4 has covit 19.
Kaizar thinks he can stand at City Airport receiving ballot papers like before. Every dog has its day. you can never outsmart the natural law. Your over-coinfdence will soon face reality and you wont know where it has come from
KZ,GET TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN LIFE IT IS WISE TO BE OBJECTIVELY NOT BECAUSE KZ HAS SAID I JUMP THEN I DO IT. THIS DOESN’T SERVE ANY PURPOSE IN LIFE. THIS ISSUE IS REALLY MAKING SOME PEOPLE TO WANT TO RIDE ON PEOPLES LIVES. DORA,AMOS ETC WHERE IS THE CASH WHICH HAS BEEN DONATED OR GIVEN TO ZAMBIA FOR CORONA ADVERTISING OR SENSITIZING? I BELIEVE THERE IS CASH ASIGNED TO IT. SOMEONE WANT TO POCKET IT NINSHI.ZNBC WE PAY LEVY SO GO AND ADVERTISE ON IT. YOU,HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE NOW DON’T WATCH ZNBC CZ THEY ARE NOT OBJECTIVELY. FULL OF FAILED STORIES.BOSS,KZ SEAT AND REFLECT ON WHAT U WANT TO SUPPORT. PEOPLE DON’T THINK LIKE U. WE ARE DIFFERENT JUST LIKE OUR FINGERS.KIKIKI.BYE,WE WILL LINK UP FOR A VODKA.
When is ZNBC getting the much deserved ban. A news outlet belonging to one party only. Only one party is covered and life goes on. My foot
This has been long over due
This station has always been UPND haven’t you seen the way they do their news analysis?
Never have they reported anything positive on PF .
Let them continue with their Updead broadcast.
After all who doesn’t know their political party??
Thank you. I second that
Unfortunately this is not a govt you relate to morals and ethics!
Just close it down. We can do without it. There are so many decent media houses that are willing to disseminate coronavirus messages freely. Those are the ones we should be giving business to and not that pompous for nothing guy.
Just which Government is fighting Prime Television – is it the Zambian Government or a PG government? Certainly the Zambian Government would not not fight its Owners, the Zambian People – the Prime TV included!
I can’t understand how a caring govt would come out all guns blazing to cripple a budding Zambian entrepreneur. This is a small tiff that shouldn’t result in such a draconian move. And where’s your Christianity? Pathetic.
Other governments are setting aside funds to bail out businesses which will be impacted by the covid 19 pandemic. Ours is asking for a bail out from businesses.
But we all know that Gerald Shawa was airing a position of independent broadcasters as chairman of the independent broadcasters, that was not his personal position. So why single him not
Ati:Dora Siliya is ” seasoned broadcaster while the Permanent Secretary Mr Amos Malupenga is a renowned journalist and former Managing Editor”
How seasoned is she? She did nothing aat the znbc. Malupenga renowned? Kuti? Like all journalists who become government appointees he is a sellout of the media profession only interested in his pocket never in the profession
These people like becoming all-knowing enemies of their very colleagues. Muntu ni njoka mixed with chameleon
A very corrupt theiving GRZ. Lead by a very corrupt theiving lawyer.
Targeting and malining citizens and companies they feel threatened by…..
Shame on you lungu and PF. Not even rigging will save you this time round. I am actually shocked at the discontent with lungu amongst civil servants.
Both the legislature and the judiciary wings of government are sleeping or have chosen to yield their round table seats to the executive wing! LAZ and its cream of lawyers could intervene for the people and help coral the executive and the gone-astray likes of Dora Siliya who one would think could be a champion for bridging the challenges between the media and availing truthful information from government and its leaders to the Zambians benefit!
This is simple repression by a regime that does not tolerate criticism (the guilty are afraid) Not too dis-similar to North Korea by the day.