FODEP blasts LAZ over mistreatment of journalists

Tue, 09 May 2017 12:26:28 +0000

By NATION REPORTER

FOUNDATION for Democratic Process (FODEP) in Livingstone has castigated the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) for demeaning and calling journalists who went to cover their 2017 annual conference ‘‘gate-crashers’’.

FODEP district chairman Gideon Musonda said that his organization was deeply concerned with LAZ’s mistreatment of journalists in Livingstone as this was not the first time.

“The repeated denial of LAZ to allow journalists to fully cover their annual meetings in Livingstone is unfortunate and what is even more saddening is the demeaning remarks attributed to one of their staff who called journalists ’gate-crashers’.

“It is just a few days ago that the world was celebrating the Press Freedoms Day and it was highly expected that institutions like the Law Association of Zambia should be in the forefront in the promotion of easy access to information and other related media freedoms,” he said.

This is contained in a statement made available to the Daily Nation in Livingstone.

Mr. Musonda said that the people of Zambia accessed news and information from various media sources, hence it was important that journalists from various media houses were granted access to cover such important meetings that attracted public interest in view of recent divisions in LAZ.

“Though we have been well-informed that the press were invited by the Finance Minister Felix Mutati who officiated at the opening of the LAZ meeting, it is disrespectful by anybody to regard the media as gate-crashers. Journalists go in the field to look for information and it’s not always that they only cover events upon invitation,” he said.

He observed that the media played an important role in the governance system of the country and as such deserved respect. He said all stakeholders should support and endeavour to provide a better environment in which the media operated by granting them easy access to coverage.

“FODEP wish to call for an immediate dialogue between LAZ and Livingston Press Club, a representative of Livingstone journalists, in order to harmonize their relationship,” he said.