MEDIA bodies have resolved to protest before the Speaker of National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa over sentiments by Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament Mumbi Phiri referring to practitioners in the public media as dogs.
And the MMD has joined the media fraternity in condemning Ms Phiri for referring to the media workers as dogs of Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Lt-Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha.
The media bodies that include the Press Association of Zambia, the Press Freedom Committee of The Post newspapers, Zambia Media Women Association (ZAMWA), the Zambia Union of Journalists and the Zambia Union of Broadcasters and Other Information Disseminators (ZUBID) said they will protest tomorrow over Ms Phiri’s remarks.
MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya said Ms Phiri should do more to improve her education levels to understand how to conduct herself as an honourable person.
In a joint statement released to the Times of Zambia signed by the five media houses, the associations have stated that they will tomorrow petition the Speaker to take action against Ms Phiri’s refusal to withdraw her statement against the public media personnel.
[pullquote]“We feel that Mumbi Phiri’s behaviour puts the name of the speaker into disrepute and puts the reputation of Parliament into question.”
“Her apparent denial to apologise shows how deep rooted her arrogance is. We think she is fighting wrong people who have nothing to do with the land and other problems in Munali Constituency,” the statement further reads.[/pullquote]
“As the media associations we have decided to march to the National Assembly building to petition the Speaker to either reprimand her or take any corrective measures against her,’’ the statement reads in parts.
The associations have since called on all media practitioners, sympathisers and associates to assemble at BP Arcades Shopping Mall at 13:00 hours in time for the protest march to Parliament.
“We feel that Mumbi Phiri’s behaviour puts the name of the speaker into disrepute and puts the reputation of Parliament into question.”
“Her apparent denial to apologise shows how deep rooted her arrogance is. We think she is fighting wrong people who have nothing to do with the land and other problems in Munali Constituency,” the statement further reads.
The association noted that Ms Phiri does not understand her role as MP and the dignity that goes with the position and her public conduct.
Ms Phiri was quoted as having called media practitioners working for the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation as Gen Shikapwasha’s dogs.
[ Times of Zambia ]