By ANDREW MUKOMA
TWO radio stations in Sinazongwe have appealed for help so that they can start broadcasting after being established in the Southern province district.
Sinazongwe district has two radio stations namely Kanzinze FM in Maamba and Zongwe FM at Sinazongwe boma but both are not operational due various challenges including financial setbacks.
In an interview with the Daily Nation in Maamba, Kanzize Community Radio Station Board Chairperson Malala Muchimba Samutumwa said some equipment had not been procured since establishment.
“The major challenge that we have as radio station is that as a board, we don’t have the capacity of funding the remaining material to bring the station to operational level.
Ms Samutumwa said his board had failed to access funds from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
“Part equipment has been bought but has not been assembled. The major challenge is that we do not have a licence from IBA and ZICTA but we have made applications and we are waiting for response from them,” she said.
“My biggest appeal to Government in this period that we have corona virus is that, it is difficult to disseminate information about the disease. However, if the radio station was operational, it would have been easier to reach out to our people especially those in far flung places like the islands,” she observed.
Ms Samutumwa said that Sinazongwe received a lot of people from different places, including COVID-19 hotspots such as Lusaka due to the fish business.
Meanwhile, the scenario was similar at Sinazongwe Community Radio which was once operational but it was closed down due to lack of a broadcast license.
Board Treasurer, Steven Siamunsaka, explained in a separate interview that the radio has challenges is securing equipment, furniture and the license from Independent Broadcasting Authority and ZICTA.
Mr Siamunsaka said that a few years ago, Sinazongwe Community radio was operational but it was closed down on account of lack of broadcast license.
“Since we moved from Sinazongwe primary school premises and a new board being ushered in, we have never been operational. We lack equipment, furniture and we do not have a license,” he explained.
“We are not yet licensed and the new board is pushing the process with IBA and ZICTA and all the paper work is with our Council Secretary,” he said.
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