Metro

Combating misinformation, media deception

Published

2 months ago

September 18, 2024

The proliferation of misinformation, disinformation and fake news has become a pressing global concern and Zambia, like many other African countries, is not immune.

Misinformation refers to the unintentional spread of false information, while disinformation is deliberately fabricated to deceive, according to the Oxford Dictionary.

Fake news often encompassed both, usually with malicious intent.

Elizabeth Riziki, National Director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)-Tanzania, identified several factors contributing to information disorders globally, including in Zambia.

“These include barriers to accessing information, an information gap between urban and rural communities, government control of the media and youth unemployment,” Riziki said.

The spread of false information has far-reaching consequences, such as eroding trust in institutions, fueling social unrest and undermining democracy.

To mitigate these risks, Zambia needs to take proactive measures to sanitise its media space.

Prisiel Samu, Programmes Coordinator at ZimFact, noted that individuals with internet access are often involved in spreading fake news.

“Governments can play a leading role by regulating social media platforms, which have become breeding grounds for misinformation,” Samu stated.

In Zambia, the rise of social media and online platforms had created an environment conducive to the spread of false information, significantly impacting public discourse, policy-making and national security.

The consequences of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news in Zambia included undermining confidence in institutions, leaders and media outlets.

A study by researcher Gregory Gondwe, titled “Audience Perception of Fake News in Zambia: Examining the Relationship Between Media Literacy and News Believability,” suggested that formal education had a limited impact on detecting fake news.

Instead, the credibility of news sources was found to be an insignificant factor in determining trustworthiness.

Fabricated stories often incited violence, xenophobia, and electoral manipulation, disrupt markets, harm businesses and deter investment.

To combat these issues, Zambia must adopt a multi-faceted approach, including establishing a regulatory body to enforce ethical journalism and online content standards.

The Zambian government has recently announced a crackdown on the misuse of social media under Section 54 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021.

This crackdown extended to administrators of WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms, who are reminded of their legal responsibilities and the potential consequences of allowing harmful content.

“WhatsApp group administrators must curtail postings that are illegal and in bad faith, as they will be held responsible for the publication of such information,” cautioned Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati.

Various stakeholders have proposed several measures to address misinformation, including supporting independent fact-checking initiatives, promoting transparency in media ownership and funding, protecting individuals who expose misinformation and encouraging media outlets to adhere to ethical standards.

Additionally, educating citizens on critical thinking, media literacy, and fact-checking skills was crucial.

By implementing these measures, Zambia aims to foster a media environment that values truth, accuracy, and informed discourse.

This story is sponsored by Project Aliyense.

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Metro

33.1m Nigerians to face food crisis in 2025– Report

Published

11 hours ago

November 2, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A new report released on Friday by the Cadre Harmonisé (CH) for the month of October has predicted that as many as 33.1 million Nigerians in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would face acute food and nutrition crisis between June and August 2025, an increase from the approximately 25 million people currently experiencing food crisis in the country.

The prediction which was contained in the CH Analysis Report released during a workshop in Abuja, was jointly conducted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), the Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and other partners.

The report also the states projected to be affected as Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba, Katsina, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, and Benue.

Others are Cross River, Enugu, Edo, Abia, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kwara, Ogun, Lagos, Rivers, and the FCT, which also includes 514,474 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

FAO Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Kouacou Koffy, who spoke at the presentation of the report, called for urgent attention and a unified approach to address food and nutrition security in the country.

“With the concerted efforts of the government, CH stakeholders, and the international community, we can move closer to alleviating hunger and reducing suffering for Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.

“We are facing unprecedented challenges affecting livelihoods and food and nutrition security globally, regionally, and nationally,” he said.

Koffy lamented that Nigeria is experiencing a combination of shocks, including economic factors affecting the prices of staple crops and agricultural commodities, climate-related events such as floods and droughts, and insecurity.

He explained that the goal of CH workshops is to analyse available food security data and contributing factors to identify populations and areas at risk of food and nutrition insecurity in the country, with a view to proposing appropriate measures to prevent or mitigate ongoing food crises.

“CH analysis is the most reliable and widely accepted early warning tool for humanitarian programming, food security, and livelihood response targeting, as well as for prioritising development programmes.”

Also speaking at the workshop,
Temitope Fashedemi, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, pledged the government’s commitment to applying the findings of the report to guide food and nutrition security programmes across states, while Balama Dauda, CH Focal Person for the National Programme on Food Security, identified key drivers of the food crisis as high prices of foodstuffs and non-food items, flooding, and insecurity.

Metro

Detained Zambian journalist Zgambo released on K10,000 bail after two weeks

Published

1 day ago

November 1, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Prominent Zambian journalist, Thomas Zgambo, who was in detention for two weeks on allegations of criminal defamation against President Hakainde Hichilema, has been released on a K10,000 bail.

Zambia Monitor reports that the 52-year-old Zgambo was arraigned at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on charges of libel and seditious practices, and was granted bail by Magistrate Chrispin Hampungani.

According to the newspaper, the charges alleged that Zgambo, alongside co-accused, Steve Zimba, engaged in seditious activities through a Facebook page, “Zambian Whistleblower – ZWIB.”

The two were accused of publishing posts targeting President Hakainde Hichilema, claiming conflicts of interest involving government-linked business dealings.

“Additionally, Zgambo faces libel charges under Section 191 of the Penal Code for alleged defamatory remarks posted on “Zambian Whistleblower” on May 5, 2022,” the report said.

The accusations also included claims that State House aide Lawrence Mwanayanda and United Capital Fertilizer Zambia executive Chance Kabaghe planned to single-source government fertilizer supplies for personal gain.

During the bail hearing, Zgambo’s lawyer, C. Nyimbili from Makebi Zulu Advocates, argued that his client posed no flight risk or threat to witnesses.

“The accused is of fixed abode and can secure sureties to ensure his court attendance,” Nyimbili stated, adding that Zgambo is a law-abiding citizen.

After he pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him, Magistrate Hampungani granted the bail request, ordering Zgambo to post K10,000 in recognizance, with two sureties to match the amount. The Magistrate also fixed November 29 for a plea hearing.