By Isaac Zulu
Ministry of Information and Media permanent secretary Thabo Kawana has described as rubbish and nonsensical criticism that he is an impediment to Access to Information as despite the law’s enactment, he has continued harassing the media in the country. [pp-logged-users]
Zambia Institute of Independent Media Association (ZIIMA) consultant Wilson Kuyumayuma Pondamali has said that it is hypothetical to have the Access to Information law without operationalising it, saying Kawana is a wrong person to occupy the position of permanent secretary at the Ministry of Information and Media.
Pondamali despite the Access to Information Law being passed, the implementation of this piece of law is not being realised.
“Yes, we have the Access to Information Law in place. It is one thing to have the Access to Information Law, but it is another thing to operationalise this piece of law. It is, therefore, hypocritical to have the Access to Information Law, which is not being operationalised,” Pondamali said.
He also said that it is hypocritical for the UPND administration to state that it has fulfilled its promise of enacting ATI into Law, when Kawana is still harassing journalists.
Pondamali, charged that Kawana is a wrong person to hold the position of permanent secretary at the Ministry of Information and Media.
“Despite the enactment of the Access to Information Bill into Law, we have continued witnessing the trend by some senior government officials harassing and intimidating journalists, especially private media personnel. The case in point is the recent harassment of Costa Mwansa during his TV show where he hosted by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information and Media, where Thabo Kawana was harassing and intimidating Costa, and referred to Costa Mwansa as being arrogant and called him all sorts of names,” stated Pondamali. “It is hypocritical for the UPND administration to continue saying and glorifying themselves that they have delivered the Access to Information Law when the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Information and Media Thabo Kawana is bashing and harassing private media houses. And I want to put it on record that Thabo Kawana is a wrong person to be permanent secretary at the Ministry of Information and Media. And we hope that President Hakainde Hichilema will take punitive action against the permanent secretary. We expect the UPND administration to do things differently by enhancing press freedom, allow media houses to operate without interference and allow the media to thrive.”
But Kawana did not take Pondamali’s criticism kindly when contacted for comment, saying what Pondamali was saying was rubbish and a nonstarter.
“That is rubbish, it is a none matter, it’s nonsensical,” Kawana said.
Asked on criticism that he was interfering with the media operations in the country, Kawana stressed that he will not waste time responding to none issues, saying the UPND administration has a duty to run the country as opposed to responding to petty issues.
“I don’t comment on such matters. We have a country to run; as opposed to talking about such petty issues. Those are none matters, they are nonsensical. If you want you can run that news story and quote me. It’s fine,” said Kawama
