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Media freedom and freedom of expression has reportedly have improved since the United Party for National Development (UPND) assumed office two years ago, currently hovering at average of 50 percent.
MISA Zambia Board Chairperson, Father Barnabas Simatende, said this in statement issued in Lusaka Tuesday.
Simatende noted that some critical laws were amended and these included the death penalty and the defamation of the president clause in the Penal Code.
“Many Journalists and political figures have been arrested in various regimes using the defamation law and hence its repeal is a major milestone towards media freedom and freedom of expression in Zambia,” he added.
Simatende further said the key state institutions including the Zambia Police and Judiciary were at hand to protect media freedom in key cases which involved a journalist in Eastern province and another one in Lusaka.
He said the two were attacked at different periods while on duty and both institutions acted to protect media freedom and these milestones are vital to deterring would be violators of media freedoms.
“Another prime milestone is the increased media engagement between President Hakainde Hichilema and the media were the Head of State has featured on several private media interview,” Simatende said.
He said this was in addition to inclusion of Journalists from private media houses on presidential trips and extension of invitations to civil society to attend state functions.
“However, acts of cadre violence and censorship began to increase in these two years. This was in addition to seven journalists being detained during their line of duty,” Simatende noted.
He also noted the slow pace at which the reforms were being handled such as the Access to Information Bill, while the review of broadcast laws also yearned for action.
“There is need to amend the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Act for it to be a true public service broadcaster.
“Equally, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act has to be amended to make it more autonomous and effective in regulating the ZNBC,” he said.
Simatende said other laws that required repeal or further amendments included the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act and the Penal Code respectively.
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