IRISH AID MUST RECONSIDER FUNDING MISA ZAMBIA – COPPERBELT PF

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:58:14 +0000

THE PATRIOTIC FRONT (PF) ON THE COPPERBELT IS DISAPPOINTED THAT MEDIA BODIES SUCH AS MISA ZAMBIA HAVE ABANDONED THEIR ROLE OF PROMOTING MEDIA FREEDOM AND INSTEAD HAVE STARTED OPERATING AS APPENDAGES TO POLITICAL INTERESTS.

ZAMBIANS ARE CURIOUS THAT MISA ZAMBIA HAS CONSPICUOUSLY REMAINED QUIET ON THE ASSAULT OF A MUVI TV JOURNALIST BY SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE UPND PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, AND THE SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE THE CASE OUTSIDE COURT BY PAYING THE JOURNALIST K30MILLION. HOWEVER, THE SAME MISA WAS QUICK TO CONDEMN POLICE WHEN UPND CADRES WERE TEARGASED AFTER THEY RANSACKED A POLICE STATION.

MISA ZAMBIA’S ANTI-PF STANCE IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED. PRIOR TO LAST YEAR’S ELECTIONS, THIS ORGANISATION CHOSE TO IGNORE PF’S CONCERNS ABOUT THE ABUSE OF THE PUBLIC MEDIA BY THE MMD, BUT WHEN PF BARRED ZNBC FROM COVERING IT’S NATIONAL CONFERENCE BECAUSE OF SUCH CONCERNS, MISA ZAMBIA WAS QUICK TO CONDEMN THE PF.

FURTHERMORE, THERE WAS NO TIME WHEN MISA ZAMBIA SAID ANYTHING OVER THE DEFAMATORY DOCUMENTARIES BY CHANDA CHIMBA III AGAINST PRESIDENT MICHAEL SATA, AND THEIR OWN FELLOW JOURNALISTS SUCH AS MR. FRED M’MEMBE.

WHOEVER IS FUNDING MISA ZAMBIA MUST BY NOW REALISE THAT THEY ARE FUNDING A FAÇADE FOR A POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT WHICH IS FIGHTING THE PF GOVERNMENT TO ACHIEVE AIMS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MEDIA FREEDOM. NO DOUBT, IN ITS CURRENT FORM AND LEADERSHIP, MISA ZAMBIA LACKS THE NECESSARY CREDIBILITY TO SUPPORT MEANINGFUL MEDIA REFORMS IN THIS COUNTRY.

IN FACT, THESE DONORS ESPECIALLY IRISH AID SHOULD TAKE AN INTEREST IN KNOWING HOW THEIR FUNDS ARE UTILIZED AT MISA ZAMBIA AND RECONSIDER THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS ORGANISATION BECAUSE THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND WILL NOT BE HAPPY TO LET THEIR TAXPAYERS’ MONEY FUND QUESTIONABLE CAUSES OR GO TO WASTE.

IT IS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT FOR A LONG TIME SEVERAL ANNUAL AUDIT REPORTS HAVE REVEALED SERIOUS FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT IN MISA ZAMBIA. I CHALLENGE MISA ZAMBIA TO COME OUT CLEAN ON THE ABOVE CONCERNS.

ISSUED BY:

MR. KABWE CHANDA

PROVINCIAL YOUTH SECRETARY – COPPERBELT PROVINCE