Stop abusing social media

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 14:22:58 +0000

By Bennie Mundando

SOME opposition political parties are abusing the electronic media by paying for airtime to simply character-assassinate those in power whom they perceive as enemies and this trend must be stopped, the Zambian DNA has said.

And the Zambian DNA has observed that President Edgar Lungu was right to shun traditional ceremonies because they had been turned into political platforms as opposed to being avenues for promoting unity in diversity and tribal integration.

Spokesperson Spuki Mulemwa told the Daily Nation yesterday that his organisation had observed how some politicians had turned the media into a platform for waging their political battles where they have continued to insult those in Government, especially President Lungu, with impunity.

Mr. Mulemwa said it was sad that some media houses had failed to practice self-regulation by realising that they were drifting away from professional ethics yet quick to blame regulators when their actions were brought under check for vehemently refusing to adhere to rules and regulations that governed their existence.

He noted that there had been rampant and gross abuse of media freedom by Government’s critics to which some media owners had been compelled to play to the gallery even when they knew that what they were doing overlapped professionalism.

And Mr. Mulemwa observed that some traditional ceremonies had been turned into political platforms as opposed to being avenues for promoting unity in diversity and tribal integration hence its support to President Lungu’s decision to stop gracing them.

“It’s no longer a secret that some traditional ceremonies have been turned into political gatherings rather than being used as a unifying factor. This move has prompted President Edgar Lungu to stop attending traditional ceremonies, suggesting that a formula should be found to unite the nation through ceremonies,” Mr Mulemwa said.