By Jane Chanda
The Zambia Free Press Initiative (FPI) says the Chinese Chamber of Commerce’s attempt to gag News Diggers from airing an investigative documentary on their business operations in Zambia is a serious threat to media freedom.
In a statement today, Zambia FPI founder Joan Chirwa expressed deep concern over the Chinese Chamber of Commerce’s actions in obtaining an injunction to restrain News Diggers from publishing and airing the documentary, titled “The Good, the Bad and the Dangerous,” which focuses on Chinese operations in Zambia.
Chirwa stated that this move comes after News Diggers published a snippet of the documentary, featuring footage and photographs already in the public domain, prompting the Chinese Chamber to issue a demand letter instructing News Diggers not to publish the documentary or face legal action.
She stated that the timing of the injunction was particularly troubling, given that the documentary was scheduled to air on May 23, 2025 on News Diggers’ social media platforms and Diamond TV.
“Why should the chamber stop the airing of a documentary based on a snippet that has no detailed content of the issues? Why not allow the documentary to air the said ‘good, the bad and the dangerous’ content first before raising issue about it, if at all?” Chirwa questioned.
She explained that this development marked a critical moment for Zambia’s media freedom and the future of investigative journalism in the country and noted that the role of the media was not to serve comfort to the powerful but to speak truth to power, especially when it was inconvenient.
She added that the media should operate independently and fearlessly, holding everyone accountable regardless of status or privilege, to uphold press freedom, which was vital for democracy, transparency and justice.
Chirwa state stay when media outlets were intimidated by the powerful, truth and accountability suffered. “Silencing journalism is not protection; it is censorship.
She called on all media houses, civil society organisations, legal minds, and concerned citizens to stand in solidarity with News Diggers and defend the constitutional right to freedom of expression and information, which was under threat from such gag orders.
Chirwa further urged the judiciary to reflect critically on the implications of granting gag orders that limit the public’s right to know and that if there were genuine grievances about media content, these should be addressed through the existing media self-regulation mechanism, which the government recognizes and supports.
“The injunction against News Diggers is a serious violation of press freedom and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” stated Chirwa “This matter is not even about News Diggers; it’s about media freedom under serious threat! Today, it is News Diggers at the receiving end of such desperate measures to stop journalism, tomorrow it’ll be Daily Mail, The Mast, Daily Nation, Daily Revelation, The Magnet, Muvi TV, Hot FM, Prime TV, and others if we do not act to stop this.”
