Maravi

Avoid statutory regulation of media – Zukas

Avoid statutory regulation of media – Zukas
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tue 11 May 2010, 03:40 CAT

VETERAN politician Simon Zukas has said statutory regulation of the media should be avoided at all costs because it only suits the party in power. In an interview, Zukas said statutory regulation would be partisan because it would have to be implemented by the party in power.

“It needs to be condemned. It should be avoided at all costs and we should all vote against that,” he said. Zukas said he agreed with various stakeholders on the need for the freedom of information law, as it would raise the level of debates in the country.

Zukas said the economy was doing well not because of the party in government but partly because of the problems in Zimbabwe, saying investors were placing a lot of attention on Zambia.

However, Zukas said most of the economic growth was concentrated in Lusaka, the Copperbelt and new mining areas.

“The growth has not so far spread to rural areas. Rural poverty has not been alleviated much and you can tell by the vast increase of population in Lusaka which is between 16 and 21 per cent of the total population. You can easily verify that by the fact that there are a lot of people who come to Lusaka who do not speak English the official language,” he said.

He said this meant that people were coming from rural areas with no full education to make a living because there was nothing for them in those areas.

“Even vendors at street corners, many of them do not speak English. I am not against speaking vernacular but this situation reflects that very little is happening in rural areas and all is happening in Lusaka,” he said.

Zukas said in Lusaka, it was worrying that development was concentrated in house construction rather than factory construction.

He said people needed employment.
Zukas said even the mines were now highly mechanised such that some work was being done with big machines, subsequently reducing the labour force.

He also said the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) had done a job that could stand the test of time.

Zukas said there was a partisan element in the NCC from the MMD, which would not take the country anywhere.

Zukas said even though he had a degree, that sort of requirement for one to qualify to run for Republican presidency was unwise.

Labels: MEDIA, REGULATION, SIMON ZUKAS

posted by MrK @ 3:41 PM