By Mubanga Mubanga
Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Jahan Hallenborg says media self regulation is the right path to go.
And Media Council on Self Regulation chairperson Kennedy Mambwe said they could not celebrate World press freedom day together with people who are having “dark corner” meetings with those who want to criminalise the practice of journalism.
Yesterday’s World Press Freedom Day was celebrated in Lusaka at two different venues.
One event was which was held at Freedom Statute was officiated by Information and Media permanent secretary Thabo Kawana, while the other one which mostly consisted of independent private media was held at Mulungushi International Conference Center (MICC) in Lusaka.
Addressing journalists who gathered at MICC, Hallenborg said judging from the experience in his country, media self regulation was the right path to go.
“In this context, let me reflect a little on media regulations. Obviously, an issue that is being discussed here. To promote ethical reporting, and shape a media environment that encourages professional and brave journalism,” said Amb Hallanborg. “Experience from my country in Sweden is that, self regulation is the right path to go. By and large, this system saved us well, and it prevents undue influence from the government.”
Speaking at the same event, Mambwe said independent media houses could not join hands and celebrate World Press Freedom Day with the very people, who were lobbying the government to “criminalise” journalism, through the Zambia Institute of Journalism (ZIJ) bill.
“You know that traditionally this event would always take place somewhere at the Freedom Statute. But we ask ourselves the moral question, how do we join hands and walk together with the few of our colleagues who have chosen to be holding dark corner meetings and lobbying for statutory regulations that criminalises the very practice that you want to celebrate today, on this World Press Freedom Day?” said Mambwe. “So we chose to listen to our conscience, and say: two cannot walk together, unless they agree. The message couldn’t be more clearer than this.”
Socialist party leader Dr Fred M’membe, who joined the celebrations said journalists should not accept any form of manipulation for them to be regulated.
He said there was no need for more laws on regulations, because the country had enough laws like criminal defamation, and sedition which had an effect on the practice of journalism.
“You are not exempt, as journalists, from the defamation laws, criminal defamation laws. You are not exempt from the sedition laws. And now there are cyber crimes laws that are coming and, they weigh heavily on you,” said Dr M’membe. “And they want to add another act to that. There should be no manipulation that should make you accept that. It is sad that some of our colleagues, colleagues we trained at The post, at a very high cost, today they have become Judas Iscariots.”
Meanwhile, Media Owners Association of Zambia (MOAZ) chairperson Costa Mwansa said it was not true that those who were against the ZIJ bill were not journalists.
He said he was a practicing journalist, and he understood what it took to run a media house.
“Some of us, including myself today, continue to practice, understand more of what it takes to not only be a reporter, but to also run a media house professionally, rather than those there who are having dark corner meetings,” said Mwansa. “They have never paid a salary before, they don’t even know the price of a transmitter. They do not know how much it takes to pay NAPSA (National Pension Scheme Authority), they do not know how to pay NHIMA (National Health Insurance Management Authority) they do not even know how much it takes to pay ZRA. They do not know.”
