Limbigani Nyirenda, Executive Director of Easterner Visionary Youth, has voiced his concerns regarding the infringement of digital rights by political actors in the country.
Nyirenda stated that in their quest for power, political figures often disregarded the digital rights of others, particularly impacting media professionals’ access to information.
Speaking to Zambia Monitor in Eastern Province, Nyirenda elaborated on how these actions disproportionately affected media personnel, hindering their ability to report on certain issues freely.
He pointed out that media professionals sometimes encountered obstacles in accessing specific information due to concerns about political party affiliations.
“Media individuals are occasionally denied access to certain information because they risk being accused of aligning with a particular political faction,” Nyirenda stressed.
He urged both information consumers and political figures to recognise the inherent objectivity in news coverage, emphasizing the importance of impartial reporting.
In addition to concerns about digital rights, Nyirenda highlighted the challenges posed by language barriers, particularly for individuals in rural areas.
He noted that many people in rural communities were limited to one or two languages commonly spoken in their region, making effective communication difficult.
This, coupled with the predominance of English-language media outlets, created barriers to accessing information for those who do not understand English.
Nyirenda underscored the need for increased efforts to address language barriers in media access, advocating for more inclusive approaches to communication that consider the linguistic diversity of the population.
This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.