STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA 4.3 Legal and Political Environment The state of the media in the fourth quarter of 2019 was dominated by the happenings as regards the appointment and expulsion of the Board Chairperson for the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and the appointment of Chibamba Kanyama as the Board Chairperson for Money FM Radio. To begin with, it was reported by the Zambia Daily Mail on 18th of December, 2019 under the headline, “ZNBC Board Chairperson Dropped.” The paper reported that: Government has with immediate effect nullified the appointment of Mulenga Kapwepwe as Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC). In a statement issued yesterday by Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Dora Siliya, who is also Chief Government Spokesperson, the nullification is pursuant to Article 270 of the Constitution of Zambia, as amended in Act number 2 of 2016. The paper quoted Ms. Siliya saying that, “Government has deemed it to be in the public interest to nullify the appointment of Ms. Kapwepwe, who was, until her removal from the Board, Chairperson of the ZNBC Board. The government has thanked Ms. Kapwepwe for her service as the Board Chairperson and wished her God’s blessings in her future endeavors,” Ms. Siliya said. The following day on 19th December, 2019, The News Diggers Newspaper publication carried a headline “Parley Approves Appointment of Auditor General” where it was reported that in addition to the approval of the Auditor General, Parliament had also ratified the appointment of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Board members. It was reported that those to serve on the ZNBC Board were Simon Bota, Sarah Kaulule, Patricia Mwase and Mary Kazilimani. A close look at the names ratified suggests that the Board Members whose names were approved are all female. It was proposed that a male should have been appointed on the position of Board Chairperson. The sentiments were also echoed by a number of Members of Parliament (MP), who also urged government to consider employing a man for the remaining position on the ZNBC 17