State of the media in Southern Africa - 2004 • UPDATE Date: January 14, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Roy Clarke Violation(s): Expelled) On January 13 2004, the Lusaka High Court ruled that Roy Clarke, the British national facing deportation from Zambia for writing a satirical article which allegedly insulted President Levy Mwanawasa and two ministers, will continue enjoying his status as a permanent Zambian resident until the court disposes of the case where he is challenging his deportation. Judge Phillip Musonda made the ruling in his chambers following an application by Clarke’s lawyer, Patrick Matibini, who was seeking clarification from government over Clarke’s residential status, in view of the injunction which he obtained on January 5, 2004, restraining government from deporting him. The application was prompted by concerns over media statements by some government officials that Clarke should apply for a temporary residence permit if he wanted to remain in Zambia legally. • ALERT Date: January 17, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Leonard Hikaumba (ZCTU President) Violation(s): Other (censored) On January 17 2004, the state owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) television station cancelled a live discussion programme meant to discuss government’s controversial decision to impose a civil service wage freeze and hike personal tax called Pay As You Earn (PAYE). The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) President Leonard Hikaumba told MISA-Zambia that the ZNBC had decided to cancel the programme intended to respond to statements made by Finance and National Planning Minister Ngandu Magande, on the wage freeze despite having confirmed it. Hikaumba said the programme was initiated by ZNBC Director of Programmes Ben Kangwa, who invited him to react to Magande’s interview, which was broadcast on February 15 2004, in which he justified government’s imposition of the wage freeze and increase in PAYE. Magande argued that the measures were meant to ensure that Zambia qualifies for the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative by June 2004. • ALERT Date: January 28, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Mackson Wasamunu Violation(s): Detained, beaten, censored On January 28 2004, Mackson Wasamunu, a photojournalist working for the state-owned “Zambia Daily Mail” newspaper was beaten and detained by police officers for taking photographs of a police action to remove street vendors from the capital Lusaka’s city centre. Wasamunu was detained for approximately six hours. His two cameras worth about K10 million (approximately US$2 100) were damaged in the ensuing struggle with the police officers, and his film was confiscated. • ALERT Date: February 3, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Media in Zambia, citizens of Zambia Violation(s): Censored On February 3 2004, the media and the public were barred from attending the hearings of a tribunal investigating allegations of professional misconduct levelled by President Levy Mwanawasa against Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mukelebai Mukelebai. So This Is Democracy? 2004 128 Media Institute of Southern Africa