Download - Media Institute of Southern Africa

State of the media in Southern Africa 2002
that the election of the Speaker was bound to be controversial and the government
wanted the proceedings to be conducted in a secretive manner. The ban
was, however, lifted, without reasons being given.
Throughout the year journalists were threatened, (twice through bomb scares),
physically attacked or verbally abused by overzealous political party cadres,
detained by police even for ‘bailable’ offences as was the case with Chilekwa
and his reporters, and generally despised by government officials for not supporting
“national development”.
On the other hand, the public and media practitioners still saw the need to
increase media coverage in the country. Former Zambia Institute of Mass
Communication (ZAMCOM) Director, Mike Daka, launched Breeze FM a
privately owned commercial radio station in Chipata, some 600 kilometres
from Lusaka in the Eastern Province. A number of similar initiatives were
planned for the year including a Catholic radio station in Mongu in Western
Province, Radio Syuungu in Livingstone, Radio Kariba in Siavonga on the
border with Zimbabwe and two other Catholic stations in Livingstone and
Mansa in the North. It is expected that during the year 2003 at least three of
the planned radio stations will hit the airwaves.
2002
144 So This Is Democracy?