Media Has Role to Play in Polls – Ronnie

3 May 2011

THE Government has said media practitioners have an important role to play to ensure Zambia holds peaceful and fair elections this year.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Ronnie Shikapwasha said the Government had resolved to ensure a free and peaceful electoral process and the media had a critical role to play in realising the objective.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said this on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation radio and television last night to launch World Press Freedom Day celebrations taking place today.

The international theme for the World Press Freedom Day is ’21st Century media: New frontiers, new barriers’, which has been localised to ‘Ethical reporting for a free and peaceful electoral process’.

Media practitioners and stakeholders in Lusaka are expected to march from On-the-run in Northmead residential area to Mulungushi International Conference Centre where the celebrations will take place.

Other activities will take place in Ndola, Chipata, Livingstone, Kasama, Mansa, Mkushi and Mongu where the local committees spearheaded by Press clubs have organised similar activities.

“As we progress towards the tripartite elections, it is incumbent upon the media to demonstrate high ethical and professional standards in which the observance of the fundamental tenets of journalism is non-negotiable,” Gen Shikapwasha said.He said the theme for this year’s celebrations was timely in view of the 2011 tripartite elections.

Gen Shikapwasha said the public should be given accurate information and balanced news for them to make informed choices and decisions.

The minister said the World Press Freedom Day was being held against a backdrop of significant developments in the media industry under the leadership of President Rupiah Banda.

He said the developments had seen the opening of private print and electronic media which were working on complementary basis with the public media.

Gen Shikapwasha said the Independent Broadcasting Authority was now law and would be operationalised towards establishing a media regulatory framework.

He said such underscored the importance the Government attached to the media in national development.

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