Press freedom in Zambia has come under severe scrutiny as the government and the watchdogs have crossed swords over media rights.
Media watchdogs are up against the government for failing to enhance legislation intended to foster media freedom in the country through enactment of various laws and are threatening to seek judicial intervention.
The government, on the other hand, has remained adamant on the demands by the media to enact various legislations intended to free the state-run media from government interference in line with the dictates of press freedom.
The four media organs are seeking judicial interpretation over the government's refusal to present various names to Parliament for ratification of eminent personalities appointed to serve on the newly established Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA).
The media in Zambia has asked the government to stop interfering in the operations and management of the state-run national broadcaster and the implementation of the amended Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation Act of 1996.
The amended Act bars the ministers or any other agents from interfering in the operations of the broadcasting company that is perceived mainly to be serving the interests of the government of the day rather than other stakeholders.
The media watchdogs have petitioned the government to implement the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) that should have the sole power to regulate old and emerging media houses.
Presently, the government, through its information minister has the power to determine which private media house should be registered.
The authority has resulted in the minister of information abusing his authority through vetoing. Other concerns include the government's withdrawal of the Freedom of Information Bill from parliament for enactment into law last yearn – ostensibly to give the media ample room to investigate various wings of the government that were prone to corruption and other vices.
Spokesperson for the media organisations, Kellies Kaunda said the watchdogs were seeking the court's interpretation of the laws following the government's adamancy in enacting various media bills that needed parliament's ratification into law.
"We have a number of media related issues that need ratification into law by parliament to enhance press freedom in the country.
"The government appears to be sidetracking on the planned media reforms that started in 1992," he said.
The government says it is ready to accelerate media reforms but wants to do it at its own pace to ensure it takes care of various concerns to save the public that the media serves.
It is, however, censuring some of the names recommended to serve on the IBA by the ad hoc committee, saying, they did not represent a cross section of the Zambian community.
Information Minister Mutale Nalumango has urged the ad hoc committee to review some of the names submitted to her office for onward submission to parliament failure to which she would veto some of the names despite being professionals.
Nalumango, in her wisdom contends that she was still scrutinizing the names presented to her to sit on the IBA board and will only accept nominees recommended by the committee for approval in parliament.
"I am not taking all the names to parliament for approval because I am making recommendations. So, I am taking some names out of what I was given and the ad hoc committee will have to find replacements." She, while admitting that the IBA will be implemented soon, said, would not appoint any other persons outside the given recommendations.
She, however, feels unshaken by threats to drag her government to court for judicial review, saying the intended action was the right of every Zambian to seek redress.
But the media watchdogs feel threatened by the government's action and expressed fears that the Zambian government was not serious about the media reforms.
Most of the media laws in Zambia are said to be outdated, having been enacted before its independence in 1964 and infringe on the operations of the media.
Some of the laws include the secrets act that bars journalists from investigating some people including a number of security wings that the media contend have given rise to corruption.
Various stakeholders, including parliamentarians have thrown their weight towards the demands of the media bodies and have accused the government of perpetuating media rights abuse.
An opposition MP and lawyer, Sakwiba Sikota has chided the government for dragging its feet on media reforms and accused Nalumango of usurping the powers of parliament by withholding the names of the IBA board.

Jeff Kapembwa is the News Editor of Sky FM Radio in Zambia

Copyright © 2004 Third World Media Journal A Quarterly Publication of Third World Media Network (TWMN)