STOP INTIMIDATING COMMUNITY MEDIA – MISA ZAMBIA

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia is calling for a stop to acts of intimidation of community media in the country by some District Commissioners (DCs).

MISA Zambia makes this call following about three complaints that show that DCs have been intimidating community media. This intimidation takes the form  of threats of closure and threats to dissolve or indeed dissolution of the boards of such media.

Among the radio stations that have faced such intimidation include Isoka Community Radio, Radio Pasme and of late Kasempa Community Radio.

We wish to remind DCs that have done so in the past or intend to do so in future that community media does not only exist to sing praises but also point out wrongs in their communities.

MISA Zambia is thus urging all DCs in the country to embrace and protect the media and use it as source of information for them to plan and deliver development that will reduce poverty levels in their areas.

We also wish to put it on record that we are in touch with the Inspector General of Police and will ensure that no one uses police officers to intimidate the media in any part of the country.