journalism. She further observed that the free flow of information puts to shame propagandists and other one-sided communicators who thrive on media blackouts and limited information channels. She advised that instead of taking such drastic action, the IBA should have engaged the affected media houses and help them address the imbalances and other issues.5 She further warned that during a sensitive time such as the one just after a highly emotive election phase, citizens needed unfettered access to professionally packaged and balanced news and information on issues of concern through their preferred media platforms. A liberal media landscape with plural and diverse media such as the one that was obtaining in Zambia provided such an opportunity for diversity in information and sources of information for the citizenry. In this regard, it is prudent and only appropriate that any government’s discomfort and fear should never override the public’s freedom of expression and right of access to information. A diverse, plural and independent media allows for citizens to fully realise the benefits of such rights and legal provisions. This further crowds out propagandists who thrive largely on media blackouts and limited information channels. MISA Zambia and the Media Liaison Committee also added its voice to the fiasco and called for the immediate lifting of the suspensions and immediate reinstatement of the licenses. In a joint statement issued by Hellen Mwale, Chairperson MISA Zambia and Enock Ngoma, ChairpersonMedia Liaison Committee on the 23rd August 2016, the two expressed disappointment over the action. “We are disappointed with the decision of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) to suspend licenses for Muvi TV, Komboni and Itezhi Tezhi Radio citing professional misconduct and threats to national security. It is our view that the said suspension of licenses for the three stations is extreme and has a negative effect on the flow of information as well as a chilling effect on the practice of journalism as it amounts to arbitrary censorship of dissenting views.”6 It is worrying that there seems to be a trend in which private media houses seen to carry dissenting views have been targeted and persecuted using various laws and processes as was the case with the closure of the Post Newspaper and now with Muvi TV, Komboni Radio and Radio Itezhi Tezhi.” The two bodies further called on all media houses and practitioners to stand united and defend the freedom of the media against the oppression observed while calling upon them to exercise maximum professionalism and remain steadfast in safeguarding the public interest. 5 PANOS E.D Lilian Kiefer, as reported in The Post, 24 th August 2016 6 Joint MISA and MLC Press Statement, 23rd August 2016 10