Full story on:https://nabbiramaria.wordpress.com/2018/06/22/the-challenge-of-being-a-journalist-in-zambia/

The Challenges of being a journalist in Zambia

By Nabbira Maria

Media activists in Zambia believe the country’s press freedom is on a downward spiral due to the increasing press regulations by the state.

Many journalists are finding it hard to openly report and discuss national matters due to the fear of being prosecuted.

According to Zambian media activists, the press in Zambia has continued to battle with statutory regulation since independence in 1964. Many privately-owned independent media houses have been closed over allegations of critiquing the government; a thing that government says would threaten national security. For example in 2016, Muvi TV, Komboni and Itezhi Tezhi Radios were shut down.

Below is a video from africanews website showing the closure of some of the stations

https://youtu.be/sC6-xvfMMDY

The Post newspaper was shut down on 21^st June, 2016 for two months. This happened as a result of unpaid tax arrears. In July, 2009, freelance journalists Wilson Pondamali and investigative journalist Thomas Zgambo were arrested for being affiliated to the Zambian Watchdog, an online media known for critiquing the government.

“We have a number of journalists who have been banned from attending press conferences, not because they are destined to be laid for public opposition, but are destined to cover the ruling party,” says Thoma Zulu, Program officer Media institute of Southern Africa- Zambia.

In September 2014, Muvi TV was excluded from covering any event where President Michael Sata would be present.

 “Zambian political leaders do not want to be held accountable. They sometimes use cadres to threaten particular journalists. Transparency, accountability and good governance are only possible where there is freedom of expression and where the account of ‘public to know’ is assured,” Zulu adds.

Below is an audio of Mr. Zulu explaining press freedom in Zambia.

https://soundcloud.com/mariah-nabbira/freedom-of-expression-in-zambia

Many commentators have been accusing the government of continuously exerting political control over the state- owned media which employ majority of journalists in the country.

The United Party for National Development, Zambia’s main opposition filed a complaint against the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation for failing to cover the rallies of its candidate, Hakainde Hichileme.

According to the Zambia Mission Report 2010, public media tend to present a pro-government perspective without giving room to opposition views, while private media tend to favour the opposition. Mano Radio has been cited for sympathizing with the opposition.

While these pressures on state-owned media are substantial, working in the private media is a bigger challenge. In November 2016, court sentenced Chanda Chimba to two years in prison on charges of failing to register his production company and two newspapers.