
CCEDU: Press Statement on Police brutality on journalists (04.11.2019)



Well, if you are reading the Lusaka Times and other places of late. There are plenty of the people asking people to speak kindly of President Edgar Lungu and the Republic of Zambia. While this is happening, you can wonder; why do they do this?
Are the Patriotic Front of Lungu that weak and touchy, that it got to have self-praise in the social media and in the headlines at the newspapers? Can’t it stomach people addressing the problems of the Republic?
Well, we know that there reports of more that the state plans to ‘curb falsehood on social media’. That means revising the laws, so that people cannot say certain things on social media. This we have seen elsewhere.
We know that its on the plate of the government, as these two pieces are from the last few days:
“Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has urged the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) and Police to bring to book people using social media to scandalize President Edgar Lungu and other innocent people” (Lusaka Times – ‘Lusambo wants ZICTA to arrest People Scandalising President Lungu on Social Media’ 20.10.2019).
“President Edgar Lungu is disturbed by the continued abuse of social media by some unscrupulous individuals and institutions. Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Isaac Chipampe says the deliberate abuse of social media is tailored to divert people’s attention from various developmental works the government is undertaking” (Lusaka Times – ‘President Lungu disturbed by the continued abuse of social media’ 25.10.2019).
So, with all of this in mind. The state doesn’t want bad publicity, doesn’t want bad press. But what they really want is the image of what the PF see and what Edgar envisions on a daily basis. Because, no one should be malicious enough to question him or the actions of the PF or the President. No, no, not even if his making them indebted for centuries to the Chinese. If he doesn’t develop state institutions and only enriching himself and his cronies. No, no don’t say that online. That is all pure malice.
Don’t discuss the long hours of load-shedding, the crop failures and poor harvests and so on. Don’t dare discuss that and the lack of funds to import the needed food to supply the shortfall of production. No, no that makes the President looks dumb. Edgar cannot look dumb. His bloody brilliant, even when he trades the biggest jewels for short-sighted adventures and have hiccups with the repayment plan.
We cannot talk about that. The man is the wisest in the land. The man of the hour, of the day and of our life-time. Edgar Lungu to the rescue. Even if that means changing to Beijing time, eating spring-rolls and speaking mandarin to please the bill-collectors. They are calling and Chamillionaire wants his cut.
Well, Lungu better accept the stuff he has done. So, should the PF and all the cronies. If people are mocking him for it. He better accept that fate. Because, his making the republic drowning in debt. Lungu is not fixated in properly steering the economy nor developing properly. If he did, he wouldn’t have swallowed all of that debt without considering the implications of doing so.
That’s why his toyed with online and there will be more of that. Maybe not from his Republic. But the rest will know. We see you. Peace.




Police this afternoon, 19 October 2019, assaulted journalist Ruvimbo Muchenje while they were dispersing protesters in the Harare City Centre. Muchenje is a journalist with one of Zimbabwe’s daily newspapers, the NewsDay.
At the time of the assault, Muchenje was suspected of recording skirmishes between the police and protestors when the police officers hit her camera with a baton stick. Muchenje said a female officer directed four male police officers to attack her in the process, before fleeing for dear life. She has since received medical attention for the injuries sustained in the attacks.
MISA Zimbabwe Position
MISA Zimbabwe is greatly concerned with the seemingly increased number of cases where police officers assault media practitioners conducting their journalistic work. We, therefore, take this opportunity to remind the police that it is not a crime to photograph or film police operations in public areas. Such actions amount to unwarranted and unjustifiable censorship of the media.
MISA Zimbabwe also reminds media practitioners to employ the profession’s safety and security measures while covering hostile situations. Media practitioners are advised to also utilise the MISA JournoSOS App as well as the MISA Panic Button App in the event of any violations. MISA Zimbabwe staff is also on standby to assist media practitioners injured or arrested in the line of duty. The MISA Hotline is 0784 437 338.
//END
About MISA Zimbabwe
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe was founded in 1996. Its work focuses on promoting, and advocating for, the unhindered enjoyment of freedom of expression, access to information and a free, independent, diverse and pluralistic media.



President George Weah of Liberia needs to take it easy. Stop for a little moment. Think of why the economy isn’t booming and why the state of things are becoming more troubling. This should be his worry. To fix, ensure that he has the right people around him and not let the rampant corruption continue. Which is the reason for the opposition to pin things on him.
Like Weah should handle this situation, unless his in on it and getting kick-backs too. That would explain why he isn’t doing anything about this: “One of such persons who is revered for the design, operation and protection of such fraudulent scheme in the Liberia Revenue Authority especially of late, is Saa Saamoi, the Customs Commissioner. Mr. Saamoi and others at the LRA have for long used the “duty free” privilege administered by the customs section under the Department of customs to take money from importers in the name of bringing charity goods to the country. One classic scheme in which Mr Saamoi and others have clearly defrauded the system of thousands of dollars was when- Sabaru Enterprise located in Redlight, Paynesville, obtained permit from the Ministry of Commerce and BIVAC to import 15 containers (7,500 bags) of flour into Liberia” (Aaron T. Massaquoi – ‘Liberia: Unveiling Saa Saamoi the “Ghost” in LRA Swallowing Gov’t Revenue under the Cloud of Darkness As Thousands of Civil Servants Go Unpaid for Months’ 06.10.2019).
That is if Weah cares about the tax-base, the money generating activities that can build a sustainable nation. Unless, his more preoccupied with feeding himself and his cronies. What he might be proactively doing. Since, the freshest news isn’t good governance or care for the state. No, its silencing critics.
On Thursday, the Roots FM got closed by the state for its controversial radio show The Costa Show, which is known for critiquing the President. That has clearly hit some feelings and hurt the pride of the President. This is why the President sent the police and ex-rebel “General Power” closed the radio. Ceased broadcasting equipment and other things in the raid of the radio. Surely, this was all done as a sign of what the state will do its critics. But everyone cannot afford to trade their services “duty free”.
Weah shouldn’t think his so wise, that he can get rid of the people behind the Costa Show or anything else. Not like the President has answered the Council of Patriots calls earlier, but not that its has the ability to stay relevant for long either. Maybe, that was Weah’s gamble on that one.
However, Weah shouldn’t silence his critics, he should answer them with actions and speeches. He should answer them with the same coin. Even if they are steady bashing him 24/7. His in office serving the ones that praise him and the ones that loathes him. That comes with the office he serves.
In addition, its only weakness seeing the Roots FM and The Costa Show being silenced. When, the state state is too easy to question. When there is enough cronies and questionable acts done. Than, the critics can just blindly follow the money and the lack of it. They can just pin-point the lacking institutional procedure, the lack of protocol and the sudden ghosts. If that is too easy. Than, the the Weah administration should look into that. Not go after the messenger.
Weah went for the ones spreading the word to the grapevine. Not the ones who did the deed or even shared the spoils. No, he send his enforcers to the ones broadcasting the acts of his government. This is a sign, that the office he has is to big for him. Since, he cannot muster or have the credibility to carry its weight. That he got to use the power, the influence and the officers of the state to cease a radio station.
That is the Weah of 2019. Weah of 2019 needs to chill or if not, he needs to fix what his government is missing. Because, clearly by his actions. There is a lot and its not the Roots FM fault. It is all of his own. Peace.


The Uganda Communication Commission report on the breach of minimum standard is really about the media houses, radios and TV-Stations broadcasting events and court-trials. This investigation report goes on supposed breaches of broadcasting standards.
All observations and affairs in these circumstances just happen to be involving the People Power Movement, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and his affairs with the law. The demonstrations or the return from a police station.
This being the reports from Bukedde TV, BBS, NTV and NBS Television. What is really striking from all of this, is that the UCC recommends actions of “remain impartial and non-partisan in the course of their work”. Still, this whole report itself is only looking to breaches following Bobi Wine and sometimes Dr. Kizza Besigye,
These all stems from the same time and incidents surrounding Bobi Wine on the 29th April 2019. The UCC is all looking into the messages about this. Not about any other instance or investigating how the media houses followed the messages of the state. No, only how it blessed the air-ways with content following an arrest of unlawful assembly, as the politician tried to hold an Kyarenga Extra Concert on East Monday; Which the state blocked.
The report doesn’t look into how the state acted towards him. Neither is the mandate of UCC to do this. But it is interesting that their scope is on this and they are showing loyalty to the “high above” this way. Because, it makes it obvious.
That the reporters, the media houses, the radios and TV-Stations should be “non-partisan” the NRM way and not follow up on arbitrary arrest of opposition figures. Because, that incite violence, startle the public to demonstrate or even can cause “riots”. Since, this will not happen if they just show Museveni in 3D all day or make mash-ups of his latest speeches.
This is an targeted assault on media freedom from the UCC. This is biased attack on these media house. Nothing else too it. Peace.
