“Journalists at the Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail also have wives and children, they have jobs to protect, don’t forget that. Before they write anything against me, they will think, ‘what will the minister do? Will I be in the office tomorrow?” This was a particularly damning indictment against the Government, which has adopted a zerotolerance approach to corruption. Its own Information Minister, who doubles as chief government spokesperson, can exhibit such ignorance about the role of the media in the fight against corruption. Even more embarrassing is the fact that Mulongoti’s statement contradicts his own Ministry’s mission statement, which states that the Ministry seeks “to promote and facilitate the growth of a sustainable media industry capable of enhancing free flow of information and freedom of expression for national development”. Fr. Frank Bwalya, the then MISA Zambia Chairperson, described Mulongoti’s statement as “retrogressive” and said it was reminiscent of the mentality of politicians during the one-party era. But this was not the only negative action against the media. Several community radio stations were subjected to harassment of different forms by State agents. On May 04, 2007, then Southern province Minister Joseph Mulyata, who has since been sacked and indicted for alleged corruption, threatened Sky FM, a commercial radio station in Monze, about 200 km’(s) south of Lusaka, with closure for what he termed “unethical and unprofessional conduct.” The threat came after the Radio featured Evangelical fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) Executive Director Bishop Paul Mususu who was discussing Zambia’s constitution-making process. Mulyata, in his address to heads of Government departments in Monze, warned that the station’s broadcasting licence would be withdrawn if it continued to air what he termed as “anti-government” views. Since Mulyata was neither rebuked nor censured by higher authorities for his actions, it can safely be assumed his threat had the tacit approval of government. Information Minister, Mulongoti, was on the offensive again. He threatened to revoke the operating licence of Petauke Explorers, a local commercial radio station in Petauke in the Eastern province of Zambia, for hosting Michael Sata, the vocal and boisterous leader of Zambia’s largest opposition party, the Patriotic Front. Opposition leaders and members of the ruling MMD were in the area to campaign for their respective candidates in a parliamentary by-election which took place on June 05, 2007. Although the radio station had extended invitations to the ruling party as well as opposition, the MMD declined to feature on the programme. The proprietor issued a profuse apology to the Minister and suspended the station manager to stave off further sanctions from the state, including possible withdrawal of his licence. In yet another brazen show of force, police in Lusaka blocked Q-FM, a private radio station in the capital, from mounting their outside broadcasting equipment to cover a live demonstration organised by civil society’s largest group, the Oasis Forum. The Forum and other members of civil society have been campaigning for a people-driven constitution, and an adoption process that would ensure that the people’s will prevailed. The radio station’s reporter, Mutuna Chanda, had to use his mobile phone to cover the event. From the above examples, it is clear that the media continues to operate in a restrictive environment. Under the given circumstances, it is almost impossible for the media, whether private or public, to exhibit high levels of professionalism and editorial independence. Although the Government is credited with opening up the air waves, thus paving the way for the establishment of at least 30 community radio stations across the country, the centralised issuance of private radio and television-licences by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services is widely viewed with disdain by civil society and the public at large. In a plural So This Is Democracy? 2007 -113- Media Institute of Southern Africa