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ZAMBIA
State of the media in Southern Africa 2002
for Multiparty Democracy (MMD)
supporters. They were angered by
Nsama photographing them forcibly
moving a “Post” newspaper editorial
vehicle from where it was parked
along the driveway of the Mulungushi
International Conference Centre in
Lusaka onto the centre’s lawn, about
a metre away.
The party supporters decided to lift
the “Post” vehicle, along with about
five other vehicles parked along the
same driveway, to create more room
for the arrival of MMD party President
Frederick Chiluba and his entourage
for a membership card renewal
exercise.
Nsama told the Zambia Independent
Media Association (ZIMA) that he
was beaten in full view of the police
who did nothing to rescue him from a
mob of about fifteen party members.
“The beating started when I took a
photo of the cadres as they lifted the
‘Post’ vehicle from where it was
parked to the lawn. A female cadre
who saw me take the photograph
alerted the group that I had taken a
photo of them and that I was from the
‘Post’. When they heard that, they
suspended their action and descended
upon me, beating and punching me in
full view of the police,” Nsama said.
He said the attackers tried to grab
his camera, but he quickly gave it to a
fellow photographer who bolted with
it to safety. Nsama complained that his
whole body was aching as a result of
the severe beating he had undergone.
He also complained about having difficulties
hearing out of his left ear.
Nsama said he reported the assault
to Lusaka Central police station on the
same day. Police officers were, however,
reluctant to open a docket, saying
“they were too junior” to handle
the case. As of February 25, a docket
had not been opened despite the fact
that Nsama obtained a medical report
from a government hospital confirming
that he had been assaulted.
Police spokesperson Lemmy
Kajoba confirmed receiving a report
of the beating and the difficulties
Nsama was having getting a docket
opened. However, Kajoba said he had
referred Nsama back to the Lusaka
Central police station. “It takes time
to open a docket. Maybe the complainant
did not have money to open
the docket,” Kajoba said.
Nsama disputed Kajoba’s claim,
saying he had the money to pay for
opening the docket, but the police
were reluctant to do so.
ALERT
DATE: 2002-04-29
PERSON(S): Owen Miyanza
VIOLATION(S): Censored
On April 17, 2002, Owen Miyanza, a
photojournalist from the privatelyowned
newspaper “The Monitor”,
had his camera briefly seized and film
confiscated by police after he took
pictures of opposition party supporters
protesting at a police station in
Lusaka.
Miyanza, aged 26, said the incident
took place in the corridors of the
Lusaka Central Police station as he
was taking snapshots of opposition
United National Independence Party
(UNIP) President Tilyenji Kaunda,
who had been summoned to the police
station for questioning.
“I was taking photos of the UNIP
president and his supporters, who had
invaded the police station in an ap-
So This Is Democracy? 155