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Media bodies lobby Minister of media law reforms
in Zambia
On 10 December, 2008, the Media Institute of Southern Africa
(MISA) Zambia together with other media bodies that included
the Press Association of Zambia, Zambia Union of Broadcasters
and Other Disseminators, Society for Senior Zambian Journalists,
Press Freedom Committee of The Post and PANOS Southern Africa
met the newly appointed Minister of Information and Broadcasting
Services, Lieutenant Ronnie Shikapwasha at the Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting.
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The media associations delegation that was led
by MISA Zambia Chairperson Henry Kabwe called on the Minister
to consider allowing the media in Zambia to regulate itself through
a voluntary body, to ensure that the Freedom of Information Bill
was enacted, that the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation
(ZNBC) and Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Acts of 2002
were implemented.
The Media bodies explained that MISA Zambia and other media bodies
were in the process of remodelling the Media Council of Zambia
(MECOZ) to make it stronger and would soon hold a workshop to
that effect
The association also called on the Minister to address the various
economic aspects that affected the operations of the media, especially
the print media that are facing viability problems.
And responding to the concerns, Lieutenant General Shikapwasha
said that the Government was looking up to the media to regulate
themselves but the situation was getting anxious because over
18 years have gone by and the Zambian media have not been able
to come up with an effective and all inclusive self media regulatory
body unlike the existing Media Ethics Council (MECOZ). He said
it was time the media showed unity and rose to the challenge
because indications even from those who were strong advocates
of the media had become champions for statutory regulation.
And on the Freedom of Information Bill, Juliana Mwila of the
same ministry said that the Freedom of Information Bill would
include the protection of privacy so that the Zambian citizens
could be protected.
The Minister said that plans are underway to ensure that some
of the pending laws are taken into the next sitting of Parliament
next year.
And Ms Mwila said that though there seemed to be less movement
where the FOI Bill was concerned, the Ministry was preparing
other public institutions to put their registries in order and
they were computerising the ministry to make access to such information
easier.
She said that the FOI Bill was to be circulated to the Media
Associations and a workshop was slated for December, 2008. However,
none of the media institutions present at the meeting had received
the redrafted FOI Bill.
Rashweat Mukundu
Programme Specialist: Media Freedom Monitoring
MISA Regional Secretariat
21 Johann Albrecht Street
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: + 264 61 232 975
Fax:+264 61 248016
Mobile: 00 264 813 675 362
E mail rashweat@misa.org, misaalerts@gmail.com
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