Zambia: Information and Media

The Zambian government has rejected a proposal to guarantee citizens the right to access public information as part of a new constitution being drafted for the country.

Over 7,000 women in rural Chipata (Eastern province of Zambia) are to benefit from agricultural marketing information project called the Chipata Women’s Mobile SMS project initiated by One World Africa (OWA) and Celtel Zambia.

Celtel-Zambia has launched the provision of subsidised rural communities payphone services in partnership with PRONET and Computer connections.

The privately-owned newspaper The Post in Zambia is taking significant steps to make technological advances. The most recent measure towards improvement is not only for the publication itself but for the entire nation. The latest stage in this major project launched two years ago, is to implement a nationwide Internet Service Provider (ISP) project.

By enabling villages to share knowledge through the airwaves, community radio in Zambia's Eastern Province has helped to strengthen people's capacity to fight disease and poverty.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia held its eighth Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Andrews Motel in Lusaka, where a new, nine-member National Governing Council (NGC) was elected into office.

The Zambian constitution guarantees freedom expression, which the political leaders have claimed also, guarantees by implication, the freedom of the press. Zambia's media, especially the broadcasting sector, has been the least privatised. The government still controls two national newspapers, a TV station and three radio channels.

LUSAKA High Court judge Philip Musonda last night stopped the deportation by the Zambian government of popular Post Newspaper columnist Roy Clarke. Post lawyer Patrick Matibini confirmed that judge Musonda's order operates to stay Clarke's intended deportation.

Zambian law prohibits the publication, whether oral, in writing or otherwise, any statement, rumour or report which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace. The offence carries a maximum jail term of three years.

Newspaper editor Masautso Phiri, was recently charged under this law.

Armed police officers allowed over 200 Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) cadres to beat up several people at the Supreme Court buildings, in Lusaka, Zambia during the hearing of The Post columnist Roy Clarke's judicial review case in the Lusaka High Court.