STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA Talk.’ We are gravely concerned that about seven masked assailants stormed the radio station and disrupted the airing of the radio Programme just when it was about to feature United Party for National Development (UPND) officials. We therefore call on authorities to address the security of the media and ensure that no assailant and media freedom violator is allowed to go unpunished.” “Needless to say, media freedom and freedom of expression are cardinal to the functioning of democracy and reports of assailants and law enforcers violating these rights and freedoms have no regard for the Zambian constitution which the Zambian people gave themselves as the supreme law of the land. Devoid of media freedom and freedom of speech, political parties cannot market their manifesto whilst media will not hold government accountable and play their informative role. This will lead to citizens making uninformed decisions and unable to participate in the governance process and choose leaders of their choice,” stated Mwale. “We wish to reiterate that no party in Zambia must impose its leadership on the Zambian people. We further wish to remind all media houses to be vigilant and make sure they identify culprits of media freedom violations and report such cases to both police and MISA Zambia in order to bring such culprits to book.” Further to the harassments on journalists, it was reported on the 16th November, 2019 in the News Diggers Newspaper publication under the heading “Cop Threatens To Shoot Journalist During Kambwili Interrogation”. It was reported that in the process of questioning the NDC leader, Mr. Chishimba Kambwili in connection with a ‘breach of the Public Order Act’ after he toured Chisokone Market, a police officer cocked his AK47 rifle and pointed it at the News Diggers! journalist and threatened to shoot for documenting Kambwili’s extraction from Lunte Lodge. The News Diggers! narrated that: After holding a rally in Luanshya, Kambwili went to Lunte Lodge in Kitwe where his entourage had set camp. But around 18:40 hours, about 20 police officers in riot gear 28