STATE OF THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA “So government only wants to regulate the use of social media to protect their nonsense. They want to destroy this country without disturbance from citizens. We are irritating them; making noise in their ears while they are eating. Just think of what they will be able to get away with if we allow them to pass self-interested cyber laws. #ItsOurCountry.” MISA Zambia however, advised government to engage relevant stakeholders before enacting certain bills. On 3rd June, 2018, MISA Vice Chairperson Hyde Haguta charged that regulating the cyber space was limiting people‟s freedom10. “So, when we begin to bring in the issues of controlling and regulating the cyber space, we are limiting people‟s freedoms. We do appreciate that any government world over enjoys the right to make laws through its legislative body, Parliament. But in making those laws, they are only doing so on behalf of citizens and the citizens of that country have the right to actually point at what is right and what is wrong. After all, it is citizens that elect people to go to parliament to make decisions.” “We (journalists) can take that word that we should not worry about them (laws to regulate online media). But we still appeal that in coming up with those laws, such laws should not shrink or restrict further the online space and people‟s freedom. The online space is the most available space for every citizen in this country,” said Haguta. Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) During the period under review, the IBA was heard of twice at the most in the news. The first was when Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Bright Nundwe asked IBA to close down media houses that covered the President in negative light. On 15th June, the story was published by News Diggers11 and The Mast Newspaper12. 10 Mast – MISA cautions govt on cyber laws – 3rd June, 2018 The Mast Newspaper - C/Belt PS advocates closure of Private TV, radio stations that misbehave - 15th June, 2018 12 News Diggers- Ban TV, Radio Stations that do not cover Lungu well, Nundwe tells IBA – 15th June, 2018 11 13