State of the media in Southern Africa - 2004 destabilise the Government. On the warpath And to crown it all, on 20 December, Lusaka police wearing riot gear assaulted, detained and charged four journalists with “conduct likely to lead to breach of the peace” and barred several others from covering people detained over blocked peaceful demonstrations on the mode of adopting the Constitution. The four were Radio Phoenix reporter Kangwa Mulenga, Post senior reporter Brighton Phiri, Radio Q-FM reporter Mutuma Chanda and Times of Zambia chief photographer Eddie Mwanaleza. The journalists were arrested after attempting to get a glimpse of 68 people who were being held at a Lusaka soccer stadium for trying to demonstrate against government’s position on the timeframe for the adoption of the Republican Constitution. A team of MISA -Zambia officials that rushed to the scene found the four journalists detained at Kabwata Police Station. Kangwa, who had sustained a big cut above his right eye and was bleeding, told the officials that he had been roughed up and pistol-whipped by a police officer despite identifying himself as a journalist. Media diversity Media diversity received a boost of sorts when a few more community radio stations including Radio Liseli Oblates in Mongu, Radio Mano in Kasama and 5 FM in Lusaka were granted full licences. Muvi Television Studio also received a full licence. A plus for the media fraternity in the country is that The Media Council of Zambia (MECOZ) Board was established in February 2004. It is headed by a retired High Court judge. MECOZ is fully operational and has adjudicated a number of cases. It is significant to note here that Government has also brought a case before MECOZ, an indication that it has embraced the concept of self-regulation. A spirit of oneness vis-à-vis media law reform and advocacy among the media associations has continued, resulting in significant strides such as the IBA and ZNBC court case won by the six media organisations. This shows that if these organisations work together, they could achieve a lot more than they would if they worked in isolation. Conclusion From the account offered above, it seems reasonable to say that, in terms of harassments and intimidation of journalists, there was no respite, but, comparatively, in terms of agitating for media law reforms and an improved working environment for journalists, Zambia had a relatively quiet year. So This Is Democracy? 2004 122 Media Institute of Southern Africa