they failed to pay a K3,000 (US$ 310) penalty for operating the station without a frequency license. 2 November LEGISLATED The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has been sued by Lusaka entrepreneur Golden Malama for failing to give him a frequency after successfully applying for, and being granted a license to broadcast ACTS Television, a Christian channel in Lusaka’s Matero Township. Malama sued IBA together with two other communication regulatory companies, the Zambia Information Technology Authority (ZICTA) and Top Star Communication Company Limited in the High Court of Zambia, for not effecting specific performance on agreement that ACTS Television starts broadcasting. The Plaintiff said ACTS Television was supposed to start broadcasting on 1 January 2017 but that Top Star Communication Company Limited, the signal carrier, notified him via mobile phone short message (SMS) that it shall refund him the total sum of K22,500 (US$2,325) signal charge he had paid. 7 November 2017 VIOLATION OF PUBLIC FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema challenged Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) to give him a platform to feature according to the Lusaka Times. Hichilema wondered why the PF complained about him being featured by international media, especially when ZNBC was failing to provide him a platform to air his views. 10 November 2017 CENSORED Debating the budget line for the Ministry of Information, Monze Central UPND parliamentarian Jack Mwiimbu lamented that the opposition had been blacked out by the Daily Mail, Times of Zambia and ZNBC, adding that for that, reason the PF should fund their propaganda wings themselves. 11 November 2017 VIOLATION OF PUBLIC FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Lunte PF Member of Parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya told Parliament that ZNBC belonged only to those in government because opposition political parties would waste the national broadcaster’s airtime talking about presidential petitions which do not exist. He further stated that ZNBC should not be allowed to air any views from the opposition. 15 November 2017 NOTEWORTHY DEVELOPMENT SUSPENDED The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) suspended staff member Mr Misheck Moyo for attending church services in Mufulira at the same time as Roan Member of Parliament, Mr Chishimba Kambwili. Mr Moyo who confirmed his suspension referred all queries to ZNBC management but mentioned that he was a congregant at St Lawrence Catholic Church where Mr Kambwili and the National Democratic Congress leadership attended service on the material Sunday. Mr Moyo’s suspension letter indicated that he had brought the name of ZNBC into disrepute following the attendance of a church service where the NDC officials were.