Maravi

Media personnel lost jobs because of Ronnie - PAZA

Media personnel lost jobs because of Ronnie - PAZA
By Abigail Sitenge
Tue 05 June 2012, 13:24 CAT

PRESS Association of Zambia president Andrew Sakala says some media practitioners have lost jobs because of Ronnie Shikapwasha's manipulation.

Reacting to Lieutenant General Shikapwasha's statement that the media is worse under the Patriotic Front government in terms of news coverage than it was under MMD, Sakala accused the former minister of manipulating the public media and causing loss of jobs for many media practitioners who were deemed to be unprofessional.

"It is through Shikapwasha's manipulation that some media practitioners are now suffering and have lost their jobs for unprofessionalism; it is because of him," he said.

"Times of Zambia, Daily Mail and ZNBC, some of them (reporters) have been retired, they are casualties of Shikapwasha's actions, who is comfortable because he is still an MP; he is getting a salary, but these young people are suffering."

He said Lt Gen Shikapwasha was simply bitter that he was unable to manipulate the media any more.

"General Shikapwasha should really be honest and apologise to Zambians for the way he recklessly manipulated the media in this country," Sakala said.

He further charged that the type of media coverage especially running up to the elections was unprofessional, biased, unethical, and that Lt Gen Shikapwasha had a big hand in all that.

He said the former minister literally controlled ZNBC, Times of Zambia and Daily Mail, and issued instructions directly and through his permanent secretary.

"General Shikapwasha directed the public media to an extent that there was political witch hunting among the media practitioners themselves. So for him to say that the media is worse now is a joke, he is being dishonest because I think the media coverage has improved. It might not be the best but I think the improvement is there," Sakala said.

He said the public media in Zambia had improved in its coverage of news especially after last year's elections.

"I am not saying this is the best that we can get, no! There is still room for improvement, but definitely this is better than was under MMD," said Sakala.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Kembe member of parliament, on Friday said the media was worse in terms of news coverage under PF than it was in the MMD regime and that PF cadres were censoring the media.

Labels: ANDREW SAKALA, MEDIA, PAZA, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA

posted by MrK @ 2:10 PM