MEDIA VIOLATIONS DURING ELECTIONS WORRY MISA ZAMBIA
Nshamba Muzungu The October 30 presidential bye election was from a media point of view not encouraging because it was characterized by a rise in media and freedom of expression violations which saw several journalists and organisations being harassed and threatened by political parties and their cadres.
On 7 November, MISA Zambia released a post election statement on media coverage, in which it expressed concern over the sharp rise in the number of media violations recorded during the campaign period of the election.
The violations included physical harassment, threats of legal suits and dismissals, ejections from premises of political events such as rallies, threats to close down media institutions and orders to stop live broadcasts or publishing certain types of stories either by order or through the courts of law.
During the pre and immediate post election period, between September and November 2008, MISA Zambia recorded and reported 16 media freedom violations compared to six (6) between January and August 2008.
MISA Zambia chairperson condemned the harassment of journalists describing the act as a hindrance to the free flow of information which he said would consequently affect the development of the country’s democracy and good governance.
Kabwe said that the media had an important role to play during times of elections by ensuring that the electorate had access to balanced information on contending political parties in order for them to make informed decisions.
He called on the police, government and leaders of political parties to take necessary steps to create understanding on the role of the media especially during elections. He at the same time appealed to the media to adhere to the Electoral Act and Electoral Code of Conduct during elections by providing fair, equitable and balanced coverage to all contesting candidates.
“MISA Zambia makes this appeal in the view of polarization between the public and private media that characterised the just ended electoral period. The private print media appeared to have been skewed towards the opposition parties in its coverage while the state owned did the exact opposite by supporting the ruling MMD party,” Kabwe stated
He however, commended the media for soldering on despite so many challenges during that period.
One notable media freedom violation was when Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Nyirenda, on September 12 ordered all community and private radio stations to desist from live phone-in programmes. In his view phone-in programmes are used by some political parties to employ insults and accusations which can not be rebutted.
Another instance was when Muvi TV and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) reporters and camerapersons were assaulted and pelted by ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) cadres in Lusaka who undertook a solidarity match in favour of their Presidential candidate Rupiah Banda.
The government owned Zambia Daily mail, on August 29 also had its reporters threatened with dismissal if they did not publish articles by Mbita Chitala, a former ambassador to Libya and a member of the MMD.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting and government spokesperson, Mike Mulogoti also threatened to “sort out” the privately owned Post newspaper if his party won the elections.
And the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) in its report on the monitoring of the presidential by election observed that the conduct of some of the private and public media institutions infringed the provisions of both the Electoral Code of Conduct and the SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections.
LAZ president Elijah Banda said at a press briefing that it was apparent that some media houses, both private and public, had a preferred candidate of choice and accorded favourable and unbalanced coverage in favour of such candidates to the detriment of others.
“We note that the absence of effective sanctions was a catalyst to this unacceptable state of affairs. We propose the amendment of the electoral code of conduct in this regard,” Banda said.
Meanwhile the Civil Society Organization’s expressed dismay that some political parties had resorted to threats and harassment of journalists.
In a joint report on the October 30 election, bemoaned the harassment of journalists who were either accused of biases or negative coverage by the political parties.
They cited the MMD, at a campaign rally at Freedom Square in Lusaka on Saturday 19th October, at which it was reported that the party threatened to close the privately owned Muvi TV because of what they termed as biased reporting and PF cadres also threatened to sort out journalists from the public media for alleged biased coverage of their candidate.
The Civil Society Organisations included the Anti Voter Apathy (AVAP), Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) and the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP).
However, the organisations also bemoaned the manner of reporting by some media houses stating that there was polarization in the way information on the presidential candidates was presented.
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