STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA It was reported that: “Police received the report from Stella Kunda aged 47 of Dominic Moomba road in Lulamba Township who reported the matter on behalf of the state. Particulars of the offence are that the suspect went to Stella Kunda’s stand at Lulamba market who was having a nap whilst laying on the floor and using PF Chitenge material which had a portrait of President Edgar Lungu as a pillow,” Katanga said. She said the accused, who supplies lipstick, had gone to collect debt from the complainant and after seeing the Chitenge material, he grabbed it and started uttering insults whilst pointing at the portrait of the head of state. “The suspect uttered words like ‘President Lungu is a dog and a goat who has caused misery to the Zambian people through load shedding and hiking of mealie meal prices ‘in full view of other marketeers,” narrated Katanga. This case is an interesting case to follow especially that it involves word of mouth with an absence of an audio or video evidence to prove that the words were spoken. 4.3.3. Harassment/Attacks The quarter under review recorded acts of harassment of media that included threats on a journalist for writing on the disappearance of the black lechwe, the threats on a journalist’s life by MMD cadres, and the disruption of a radio programme by seven masked assailants which happened at Pasme radio station in Petauke district. As regards the harassment of Radio Phoenix journalist, Logic Lukwanda, The Lusaka Times online publication on the 5th November, 2019 carried a headline “Zambia Police summon Phoenix Journalist for writing stories on disappearance of Black Lechwe”. It was reported that the Zambia Police in Lusaka had summoned Phoenix FM Journalist, Logic Lukwanda to appear for questioning at the Police Headquarters in Lusaka. On the same day, it was reported that the journalist had been warned and cautioned over a story he had done on the disappearance of the Black Lechwe in the Bangweulu plains. 24