STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA Kennedy Kamba on the other hand said to have distanced the party from the violence at 5FM Radio Station.46 The government officially condemned the violence against journalists at 5FM Radio Station. The condemnation was by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Ms Kampamba Mulenga who said the barbaric attack was not only primitive but a serious assault on the freedom of the press.47 The Council of Churches in Zambia through the general secretary, Fr Emmanuel Chikoya also condemned the attack.48 It was observed that the majority of incidents of threats, harassment and attacks were instigated by either “suspected” PF cadres or real PF cadres, whose leadership formed part and parcel of the ruling party and therefore the government or boma with the Zambia Police Service under its charge! It was within the power of the government to control and completely prevent any attacks, harassment and threats of both media practitioners and media houses as well as of political parties that are neither in power nor in charge. The hypocrisy of the ruling party blatantly attacking media houses and journalists as well as cadres of other political parties and quickly recoil by feigning innocence is too bare to be believed. 4.4 Towards enactment of ATI Bill Prospects of Zambia ever enacting the Access to Information (ATI) Bill remained bleak at the end of the quarter. As indicated in the State of the Media Report for the Third Quarter 2017, the hopes for an earlier enactment of ATI Bill were shattered when the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services informed the nation through Parliament that the progress was stalled on 46 SToZ, Nothing to do with us 17 December 2017 p.2 ToZ Govt condemns violence against reporters 16 December 2017 p.3 48 DN CCZ slams NDC attack at 5FM 17 December 2017 p.5 47 21