Metro

Balancing press freedom, state control in Zambia: The struggle for media independence

Published

4 months ago

August 24, 2024

The music that guides a dancer’s movements is crafted by the instrumentalist, much like how the press, known as the “fourth estate,” plays a crucial role in a democracy through its level of freedom.

However, while “freedom of the press” is often touted by politicians to project a democratic image, the real measure of media freedom lies in whether journalists can report accurately, truthfully and objectively without facing intimidation or pressure, regardless of the political status of the subject.

This raises crucial questions: Who controls the media, and how does such control affect the key players in this field?

Read More: Zambia’s media freedom promises questioned amidst threats, intimidation, by Hannet Mwimbe

Caroline Katotobwe, Executive Director for the Centre for Policy Dialogue, highlighted in a 2022 blog post that in many countries, journalists and civil society leaders who investigate and criticise corruption, trafficking and human rights violations face significant risks.

She noted that the freedom of expression in Zambia, guaranteed under Article 20(3)(c) of the Constitution, was historically undermined by laws such as criminal libel and defamation before these were revoked.

Katotobwe pointed to an Amnesty International report from June 2021, which observed an environment of fear in Zambia, where human rights defenders, including journalists, lived under constant threat of arrest, intimidation and violence.

Her personal experience in the media world echoed these concerns, as she found the need to self-censor to avoid potentially severe consequences from powerful and influential politicians.

These issues highlighted the importance of media independence, emphasizing that journalists must operate without state regulations or fear in order to function freely.

For instance, a publication from ‘Support the Guardian’ reported that the Zambian government had intensified its harassment of independent media outlets by arresting journalists and blocking two news websites.

Furthermore, in a statement released in Lusaka on August 17, 2024, Acting Spokesperson, Simon Mulumbi, of the Human Rights Commission urged the public to exercise their freedom of expression responsibly, particularly on social media.

However, the term “responsibly” was left undefined, raising concerns about its potential misuse to curb free speech.

In conclusion, Katotobwe’s observations reveal that in many countries, including Zambia, journalists face significant risks when investigating corruption and human rights abuses.

This underscored the need for an environment where they can work without fear of intimidation.

The repressive actions reported by ‘Support the Guardian’ and the ambiguous call for ‘responsible’ expression by Mulumbi reflect the ongoing challenges to media freedom.

For journalists to truly fulfill their role in a democracy, they must be able to operate without state interference or fear of reprisal—a principle that remained crucial for the functioning of a free and fair society.

This story is sponsored by Project Aliyense.

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Metro

Zambia: FOX report highlights persistent media harassment, calls for reforms

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A new Freedom of Expression (FOX) report by the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia, has raised concerns over what it describes as the continued harassment of media professionals in the country despite collective efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.

The FOX Report serves as a call to action for all stakeholders to create a safer and more enabling environment for the media to operate without fear or intimidation.

Chairperson of the MISA-Zambia Board, Lorraine Mwanza, who raised the concerns while launching the report on Tuesday at the Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka, highlighted that journalists and media practitioners in the country still faced intimidation, censorship, and violence for fulfilling their role of informing the public.

“The harassment of media professionals is a stark reminder of the threats posed to democratic values and the fundamental rights to seek, receive, and impart information without fear or hindrance,” Mwanza said.

She expressed solidarity with those who are targets of attack, and reaffirmed MISA’s commitment to defending journalists’ rights and protecting the integrity of the profession.

Mwanza further called on the government to address barriers preventing journalists from accessing public officials, emphasizing that public officials were custodians of critical information necessary for informed decision-making.

“When citizens have access to government data, they can better understand policies, monitor public spending, and advocate for change in their communities,” Mwanza noted.

She also appealed for the review and repeal of laws that undermine democracy, stressing the importance of enacting legislation that guarantees media freedom, freedom of expression, and digital rights, and commended the government for responding to calls from civil society organizations to withdraw the controversial Cyber Bills from Parliament.

Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary, Thabo Kawana, in a speech read by Ministry Director Mordern Mayembe, reaffirmed government’s commitment to upholding media freedom and freedom of expression in Zambia.

Metro

Nigeria: 614,937 killed, 2.2m abducted in 1 year— Report

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A new report released on Tuesday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that over 614,937 Nigerians were killed and 2,235,954 others kidnapped across the country in one year between May 2023 and April 2024.

The NBS report, titled, “The Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024”, says based on the surveys conducted between May 2023 and April 2024, the 2.2 million Nigerians who were kidnapped across the country paid a whopping N2.2 trillion as ransom, with an average amount of N2.7 million per incident.

The report also disclosed that murder rate was highest in rural areas with 335,827 incidents and 279,110 in urban areas.

A zone-by-zone analysis of the report showed that the North-West had the highest murder cases of 206,030, followed by the North-East which stood at 188,992, while the least was recorded in the South-West at 15,693.

The report also revealed about seven in 10 households reported murder cases to the police nationwide with 33 per cent of households responding that the killer was an unknown person, and 23.4 per cent confirmed that the murderer was a member of the household; while 1.0 per cent reported that the murderer was either a spouse or a lover.

The report said 1,668,104 persons were kidnapped in rural areas and 567,850 in urban areas with the North-West having the highest cases of kidnapping with 1,420,307 abducted, followed by the North-Central with 317,837 and the South-East at 110,432.

“Of the estimated amount of N2.2 trillion payments to free victims, the North-West reported the highest ransom paid with N1.2 trillion; while the South-East was the least with N85.4 billion.

“Disaggregated by zones, the North-Central reported the highest proportion of payment of ransom at 83.4 per cent, followed by North-East at 78.6 per cent.

“Households in urban areas paid an average of N3.7 million compared to N2.3 million in rural areas,” the report stated.

It added that about 91 per cent of kidnapping incidents were done for ransom in the form of money, goods or other benefits.

“While 2.4 per cent of cases were attributed to political, criminal, or terrorist objectives; 2.1 per cent were linked to personal or family disputes. Custody disputes accounted for 0.5 per cent of cases,” the report said.