Joseph Mulenga, a 24-year-old carpenter from Chinsali District in Muchinga Province, has spoken on the necessity of broadening access to developmental information through diverse media platforms in rural regions.

With the advent of social media, Mulenga observed that rural communities were becoming more informed about global events.

However, he raised concerns about the prevalence of misinformation, particularly regarding development initiatives within the country.

“Media freedom entails not only sharing content but also responsibly disseminating informative material accessible to all,” Mulenga says during an interview with Zambia Monitor in Chinsali.

He expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the Cyber Security Act, which has contributed to restoring order on social media platforms by curbing the dissemination of misleading content.

“While mainstream media endeavors to cover rural communities, including marginalized and disabled individuals, there remains a need for greater efforts to ensure the dissemination of credible information on development,” he advised.

Mulenga acknowledged journalists’ commitment to reporting on various developmental issues but urges authorities to devise strategies for effectively reaching rural areas with such news.

“Although the Cyber Security Act is being enforced adequately, there are instances where individuals propagate hate speech without facing repercussions, while others are swiftly apprehended,” he observed.

Emphasizing the importance of access to information and media freedom, Mulenga highlighted their role in empowering citizens to make informed decisions, irrespective of their location.

He appealed to the government to consider the level of awareness, particularly among rural residents, regarding the law’s provisions, citing instances of ignorance that could lead to inadvertent violations.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Machisa Zimba, Coordinator of Community Based Inclusive Development Network (CBID) for the visually impaired, sheds light on the challenges hindering their access to information, and limiting their freedom of expression.

Among the hurdles highlighted by Zimba were the prohibitive costs of digital devices and the lack of supportive infrastructure systems, which impede their ability to express themselves freely.

When asked about his understanding of media freedom, Zimba, who is visually impaired, emphasized its essence in enabling media institutions and practitioners to disseminate information across various platforms, including print, electronic media, radio, television, and social media.

However, in an interview with Zambia Monitor in Chipata, Eastern Province, Zimba pointed out existing gaps in media freedom, particularly in how people with disabilities receive information.

He cited instances where visually impaired individuals were disadvantaged, such as when job opportunities are advertised on television without accommodating their needs.

Zimba stressed the importance of affordable digital tools to facilitate freedom of expression for persons with disabilities.

He underscored the challenge of accessing expensive devices designed to assist visually impaired communities in effectively expressing themselves.

Highlighting the exorbitant prices of such equipment, Zimba noted the significant information gap it creates for people with disabilities, exacerbated by the lack of local manufacturing.

Zimba noted that while smartphones were widely used, their high cost posed a barrier, especially for unemployed individuals with disabilities.

“Very few people know how to use these digital devices because they are expensive and they are not made in Zambia,” Zimba stressed.

He illustrated this with the example of a visually impaired person struggling to afford a smartphone priced at three thousand Kwacha.

“Imagine someone who doesn’t work, someone who is not well empowered, who is visually impaired, they cannot manage to buy a phone at three thousand Kwacha,” he mentioned.

Furthermore, Zimba pointed out the need for mainstream media to better cater to the needs of persons with disabilities.

He noted the lack of accessibility to newspapers for the visually impaired, stressing the importance of providing braille newspapers alongside print and digital formats.

Zimba highlighted the imperative of addressing these challenges to ensure equal access to information and freedom of expression for all members of society, regardless of their abilities.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.