ZNBC director apologises for poor broadcasting
By Abigail Sitenge
Tue 27 Nov. 2012, 12:00 CAT
ZNBC director general Chibamba Kanyama has apologised for the institution's failure to meet viewer expectations during the Born n Bred Music Video Awards ceremony held at Lusaka's Government Complex on Saturday.
Kanyama, who posted the apology on his Facebook page, stated that a postmortem was being carried out by all departments involved at ZNBC, taking into account its own and viewer submissions.
"We know we cannot reach the CNN standard in the short run given they spent nearly K2 billion to host just one event at the same venue (largely to hire half a dozen OB trucks)," he said.
Kanyama noted that the Born and Bred musical awards were heavily followed by many Zambians and thus the number of comments on Saturday's outcome of the show.
"…A key stakeholder postmortem meeting will take place this weekend at a venue to be announced. Members of the public will, in the meantime, be given a chance to continue to make submissions…this effort is being made in order to make good of a noble event. Positive minds always rise from ashes," stated Kanyama on his Facebook page. "I am, therefore, calling upon enterprising Zambians to take this as a huge opportunity for personal or institutional leverage. Once again, I thank you all for showing interest in ZNBC activities even when we do not meet your expectations in many areas."
Kanyama's apology follows complaints from the public on the poor sound system and other technical hitches experienced during the broadcast of the awards.
Labels: CHIBAMBA KANYAMA, ZNBC
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Mususu backs LAZ on ZNBC
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 21 July 2011, 13:59 CAT
BISHOP Paul Mususu says LAZ's observations on the operations of ZNBC are not off balance. Bishop Mususu whose remarks come in the wake of a barrage of attacks targeted at the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Musa Mwenye by chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha and some government-sponsored non-governmental organisations, urged Zambians to be realistic and make sober judgements on various issues affecting the nation.
“...I don't think LAZ's observations on ZNBC were off balance, because strictly speaking, the Times of Zambia, Daily Mail, and ZNBC are public institutions who should serve the public interest,” he said.
“But we are not seeing this. So it is not warranted for people to attack and malign the association and its president because LAZ is just expressing what the people have been crying about all along. It is not fair to simply lash out at people, just because they have different views from what you hold. I don't think this atmosphere should be entertained, what LAZ is saying is legitimate.”
Bishop Mususu, who is former Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia executive director, said it was actually painful that ZNBC had continued charging people when what they were subjecting them to watch does not warrant the payments.
He said the attacks on LAZ and its president were unwarranted and should not be promoted.
Bishop Mususu said LAZ should be left to interpret the law and where appropriate those who were breaking it should heed.
LAZ has in the recent past come under attack following Mwenye’s call on ZNBC to stop flouting the law in the manner it was currently covering national affairs.
However, information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha refuted the claims that ZNBC was biased in the manner the national broadcaster disseminates news and general information to the general public.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said Mwenye had merely been against President Rupiah Banda and his administration for some time now.
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, MMD, PAUL MUSUSU, ZNBC
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LAZ and the abuse of ZNBC
By The Post
Thu 14 July 2011, 14:00 CAT
“If you get more stubborn every time you are corrected, one day you will be crushed and never recover” (Proverbs 29:1). This is a biblical teaching we should not lose sight of.
And we can further add: “When the king is concerned with justice, the nation will be strong, but when he is only concerned with money, he will ruin his country” (Proverbs 29:4); “A ruler without good sense will be a cruel tyrant. One who hates dishonesty will rule a long time” (Proverbs 28:16); “Admit when you are wrong, and you avoid embarrassment” (Sirach 20:4).
We state all these things in the light of the observations made by the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) on the operations of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).
LAZ observed with growing concern that the news and coverage of national affairs by ZNBC was unbalanced and skewed towards coverage of the opinions and activities of the ruling MMD to the exclusion of other stakeholders whose opinions are not given the requisite coverage.
LAZ, in addition, also observed that ZNBC has aired libel and slander in its news and current affairs without respect for the right of persons who are the subject of the publication to respond.
LAZ concluded that the manner in which ZNBC was airing news and current affairs was in complete conflict and contrary to the provisions of the ZNBC Act which requires the corporation to provide varied and balanced programming; to broadcast comprehensive, unbiased and independent news and current affairs; to clearly distinguish what is news and what is commentary; to serve the public rather than partisan interests; to meet high professional quality standards; to contribute to the development of free and informed opinions and as such, constitute an important element of the democratic process; to reflect as comprehensively as possible, the range of political and philosophical opinions; to reflect and promote Zambia’s diversity and unity; to contribute to the tolerance of different opinions and beliefs; and to defend democratic freedoms.
LAZ’s observations are shared by the great majority of our people. One doesn’t need to be a lawyer to see that ZNBC has departed in a very big way from the requirements of the ZNBC Act. Of course, the political appointees running ZNBC have tried to defend the indefensible things they are doing and denounce LAZ’s observations.
The best Eddy Mupeso, the director general of ZNBC, could have done is to keep quiet. We all know the desperate situation Mupeso was in before he was given this job after the closure of the National Mirror where he was working. This is the worst we have seen ZNBC in more than 20 years.
Even the ZNBC of the one party state which the Press Association of Zambia complained about and took to court over its poor and biased coverage was better than this.
Instead of addressing the issues raised by LAZ, Ronnie Shikapwasha decided to personalise issues and attack Musa Mwenye, the LAZ president, accusing him of belonging to opposition PF.
We all know that Musa doesn’t belong to PF and the lawyers who elected him president of their association are not fools. Who doesn’t know that they tried to sponsor a candidate to be LAZ president and the great majority of lawyers rejected their candidate? Even if Musa was a member of PF, that still wouldn’t be wrong.
As long as the decisions of LAZ are legally sound, that wouldn’t be much a problem. Of course, there is no law that stops the president of LAZ from belonging to any political party of his choice. It is clear to us that even when George Kunda was the president of LAZ, he was a member or sympathiser of the MMD that he is today. But can it be said that George was a bad LAZ president?
No. Actually, George was a good LAZ president. And the decisions of LAZ are not made by one person – they are made by many people, as LAZ honorary secretary Paulman Chungu has explained. It will not help the MMD to try and smear Musa and his executive with the filth of belonging to the opposition. Musa and his colleagues are acting within the requirements of the LAZ Act.
And among other things, the LAZ Act requires Musa and his colleagues to further the development of law as an instrument of social order and social justice and as an essential element in the growth of society; to provide a means by which all lawyers, whatever their particular field of activity, can participate together fully and effectively in the development of society and its institutions; to encourage lawyers as individuals to join actively in the life of, and identify themselves with, the people, and to utilise their skills and training in their service; to seek the advancement of the rule of law and of the rights and liberties of the individual.
The observations made by LAZ on the operations of ZNBC are clearly in pursuance of the objects for which LAZ was established as reflected in Section 4 of the LAZ Act.
Many of our people have today stopped watching ZNBC television because of its political bias towards the MMD and its leadership.
What the management of ZNBC should realise is that the supporters of MMD in the country are in the minority. The majority of our people belong to the opposition. If you add up all the votes that go to the opposition, you will realise that they are more than the votes that the MMD receive.
Here, what we have is minority rule – the majority is in the opposition, and not the ruling party. Therefore, to run ZNBC as if this was a one party state is a serious error of judgement on the part of ZNBC management and its political backers.
And as we have stated before, the practices at ZNBC are not different from those at the state owned Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail. They are all being managed and run as if they were departments or the private property of the MMD.
Mupeso knows this but he will never be honest enough to acknowledge it. But if there is a change of government today, Mupeso will tell the truth about the political pressure that he had to endure to keep his job. Probably Mupeso also knows that his job at ZNBC depends on the continued stay in power of the MMD.
If the MMD loses this year’s elections, Mupeso will also lose his job. And so will the editors and other top managers of the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail and ZNBC itself. These are MMD cadres which any new government will find very difficult to keep. But we can only hope that this is the last time these state media institutions will be run on such partisan lines.
If there will be a change of government this year, the new ruling party should not be allowed to do what the MMD is doing with the state-owned media. And we would urge the media associations and other formations that represent media workers in these institutions to look at things in a broader and more progressive way.
We urge them to revisit the position PAZA had taken in 1991 when they demanded the removal of the editors and managers who they thought were UNIP cadres and such were carrying out the political agenda of the then ruling party. We don’t know why they are today very quiet on these issues.
LAZ has shown the way. Why can’t they join LAZ in ensuring that the people of Zambia get the best out of their ownership of ZNBC, Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail as PAZA did in 1991?
There are no false claims Musa is making. The one who is making false claims is Shikapwasha himself. Shikapwasha has proved himself to be a shameless liar.
Shikapwasha has never hesitated to tell a lie to keep his job. Musa is not a liar. And Shikapwasha cannot prove his claims about Musa being a member of PF or being partisan in any way.
As for the other scoundrels they are using to malign Musa, we can only say that there is no decent person who can offer himself to say the things they are saying, to tell the lies they are telling. Only these scoundrels can do such things.
Labels: LAZ, ZNBC
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TIZ backs LAZ’s concerns over ZNBC’s biased coverage
By Ernest Chanda
Thu 14 July 2011, 14:01 CAT
TRANSPARENCY International Zambia has backed the position taken by LAZ over the biased coverage of ZNBC. In a statement yesterday, TIZ executive director Goodwell Lungu said the biased coverage of MMD activities as exhibited by the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation should be condemned by every noble Zambian.
He said concerns raised by the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) over the conduct of ZNBC were timely and in public interest.
“The Law Association of Zambia is therefore on firm grounds in raising concerns on the biasness that ZNBC has taken and does not need to be demonized for doing the right things. TIZ wishes to appeal to all law-abiding citizens not to promote a culture of violating the law for private interests,” Lungu stated.
He stated that ZNBC was supposed to provide fair coverage since it was funded by the public.
Lungu stated that the discrimination that ZNBC was displaying could not go unquestioned.
“Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) would like to fully back the position taken by the Law Association of Zambia on the blatant biasness that the public media in particular the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) has continued to exhibit.
It is public knowledge that the public media who are funded by public resources owned by all Zambian citizens should be able to cover events in a free and fair manner and within the confines of the law,” Lungu stated.
“TIZ has also fallen victim of ZNBC’s unprofessional bias when it continued barring a fully paid-for Television programme from being aired and produced last year until a deadlock was reached and a refund of over K50 million done.
TIZ wrote last year informing ZNBC management that they had become more political than professional by being too biased.
We wish to remind ZNBC that the TV levies and public funds that they use for their operations do not come from the ruling party or MMD members alone but these resources come from all Zambians who expect their views to be heard and covered fairly.”
Lungu has since implored the public media to observe high professional standards and to contribute to the democratic process of the country.
On Tuesday, LAZ honorary secretary Paulman Chungu said the association would continue to give opinions on the law and rule of law without fear of any reprisals or favour in spite of the unwarranted personal attacks on the association's spokespersons and elected representatives.
“The Law Association of Zambia is concerned about the attacks on the LAZ president Mr Musa Mwenye following the statement on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation.
LAZ wishes to place it on record that as LAZ president Musa Mwenye is the spokesperson of LAZ and as such he expresses the views of LAZ,” Chungu said.
He said all the statements issued by the association's president were not issued in his personal capacity but represented a well reasoned and researched position of LAZ.
“The attacks on the LAZ president, or indeed an officer of LAZ speaking in an official capacity, as an individual are unjustified.
The association has internal consultative processes that are well articulated and time tested and these processes were engaged in the case of the current topic as on all matters on which LAZ adds its voice,” said Chungu.
A week ago, Mwenye urged ZNBC to stop flouting the law in the manner it was currently covering national affairs.
However, information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha refuted LAZ’s observations that ZNBC was biased in the manner it disseminates news and general information to the public.
Labels: GOODWELL LUNGU, MEDIA, TIZ, ZNBC
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LAZ urges ZNBC to stop flouting the law
By Bright Mukwasa
Sun 03 July 2011, 04:01 CAT
LAZ has urged ZNBC to stop flouting the law in the manner it is currently covering national affairs.
In a press statement on the non-compliance of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) to the ZNBC Act chapter 154 of the Laws of Zambia, Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Musa Mwenye stated that LAZ had observed with growing concern the unbalanced coverage of national affairs by ZNBC.
“As an association of lawyers whose office demands us to uphold the law and protect the Constitution, we have been compelled to highlight the foregoing because we cannot sit idly by while the law and the rule of law is being flouted,” Mwenye stated.
“LAZ is hopeful that our appeal will receive favourable consideration from those who have a legal duty to attend to the concerns highlighted in this statement. We are in the meantime exploring other options available to enforce the rights of the general public and this may include the institution of public interest proceedings in the event that our concerns do not meet favourable consideration,” he stated.
“LAZ is of the view that the manner in which ZNBC is airing news and current affairs is in conflict and contrary to the provisions of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation Act chapter 154 of the Laws of Zambia (the ZNBC Act) whose provisions are supposed to regulate the way ZNBC operates. The situation is compounded by the fact that ZNBC currently has no board of directors and continues to operate without a board of directors, contrary to the law,” Mwenye stated.
“The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has observed with growing concern that the news and coverage of national affairs by the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation is unbalanced and mostly skewed towards coverage of opinions and activities of the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) to the exclusions of other stakeholders whose opinions are not given the requisite coverage. In addition, LAZ has also observed that ZNBC has aired libel and slander in its news and current affairs without respect for the right of persons who are the subject of the publication to respond, “stated Mwenye.
Mwenye further stated that the appointing authority should ensure that a ZNBC board of directors consisting of persons committed to fairness, freedom of expression, openness and accountability was appointed without delay pursuant to the provisions of section 4 of the ZNBC Act.
“The provisions of the ZNBC Act which require the board to be representative of a broad section of the population of Zambia must be complied with in this regard,” he stated.
Mwenye stated that section 7 of the ZNBC Act required ZNBC to provide varied, balanced programming and broadcast comprehensive, unbiased and independent news and current affairs.
He stated that ZNBC should clearly distinguish what was news, what was commentary and to serve public rather than partisan interests.
Mwenye stated that ZNBC ought to meet high professional quality standards and to contribute to the development of free and informed opinions and as such constitute an important element of the democratic process.
He stated that ZNBC must reflect as comprehensively as possible, the range of political, philosophical opinions and to reflect and promote Zambia’s diversity and unity.
Mwenye stated that ZNBC must contribute to the tolerance of different opinions, beliefs and defend democratic freedoms.
He stated that management of the ZNBC should adhere to the provisions of the ZNBC Act.
Labels: LAZ, MEDIA, MUSA MWENYE, ZNBC
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Zamtel ready to help ZNBC digitalise
By Mutale Kapekele
Mon 02 May 2011, 03:59 CAT
ZAMTEL says it is ready to assist the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation digitalise nationwide using its optic fibre network. Last Thursday, ZNBC director general Eddie Mupeso, said the national broadcaster had already started ordering digital-capable equipment that would ensure the signal was completely digital by 2013.
Mupeso, who was touring leased transmission facilities at Zamtel, said his institution would also take advantage of the latter’s optic fibre which has already terminated within the mass media complex to improve the quality of the broadcast signal countrywide.
“We are going to make use of the fibre because we will be building provincial television studios and we hope to use fibre to make sure these facilities are well connected and serviced so that we can send good picture quality to our audience,”
Mupeso said. “In Livingstone for instance, we are sending picture to Lusaka via internet, which is very cumbersome. But once we complete digitalising our facilities, transmission will become child’s play.”
Mupeso also disclosed that ZNBC would receive three mobile studios in the next two weeks from the United Kingdom, which he hoped would ease transmission challenges for events across the country.
At the same event, Zamtel chief commercial officer Amon Jere pledged his company’s continued collaboration with ZNBC by providing the latest technology that would improve the quality of the broadcaster’s signal.
Jere said Zamtel had invested a lot of resources in installing digital transmission enabled equipment and was ready to switch on the national broadcaster’s signal as soon as it was technically ready.
“The cost of running the analogue transmission links is very huge and in most cases, the technology is old and spare parts are hard to find. So when ZNBC is transmitting, sometimes we literally have to ‘babysit’ the equipment to ensure there is no signal failure,” he said.
Zamtel provides transmission leased facilities to the national broadcaster for its signal countrywide.
Labels: AMON JERE, OPTIC FIBRE, ZAMTEL, ZNBC
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Auditor General’s report reveals irregular payments at UTH, ZNBC
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 20 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE University Teaching Hospital (UTH) irregularly paid over K4.5 billion to officers that had no employment contracts with the hospital, the Auditor General’s report has revealed. And the Auditor General’s report has revealed that Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) incurred over K8 billion loss between 2006 and 2008.
According to the report of the Auditor General for 2008 on the accounts of parastatal bodies, during the period under review, the hospital paid K4,545,711,360 to 20 officers as salaries, gratuity, housing allowance and accumulated leave days.
“However, the payments were irregular in that 20 officers had no contracts of employment with the hospital,” it revealed. “As of December 2008, the hospital owed staff amounts totaling K26,069,982,749 in leave travel benefits, salaries and terminal benefits, gratuity, long service bonus and settling in allowances.”
It also revealed that contrary to financial regulation number 52(1), there were 10 payments totalling K17.4 million made during the period April to October 2008 that had no supporting documents such as receipts, invoices among others.
It further stated that contrary to the financial regulation number 96 (1), imprests totaling K5.5 million to five officers between February and December 2008 had not been retired as of March 2010.
“A scrutiny of the Hospital records revealed that during the period under review, UTH paid amounts totalling K3,876,545,325 as rentals for post graduate doctors, intern doctors and pharmacists on behalf of the Ministry of Health (MoH). However, as of March 2010, the Ministry had not refunded the money,” it stated.
“During the period from 2006 to 2008, the Hospital paid amounts totaling K454,400,000 as salary advances to 61 doctors and pharmacists employed by Ministry of Health (MoH). However, as of March 2010, the money had not been reimbursed to UTH by the MoH.”
The report revealed that according to the hospital’s financial statements, statutory contributions totalling K1,244,761,045 were not remitted.
The hospital owed Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZSIC) K7,488,076, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) K 371,742,328,
NAPSA K777, 393,600 and Pensions Board K88, 137,041.
“As of December 2008, UTH was operating below its authorised establishment in that the strength of doctors and nurses stood at 314 and 696 respectively as opposed to the required numbers of 373 and 1,367 respectively. The staff levels were therefore insufficient to meet the demands placed on the Hospital,” the audit report stated.
On ZNBC, the Auditor General stated that a review of the income statement revealed that the Corporation incurred losses of K1,821,145,000 in 2006 and K5,071,969,000 in 2007 and there was a projected loss of K1,780,001,000 for 2008.
It stated that the losses were mainly due to administrative expenses, which increased from K30,640,272,000 in 2006 to K37,431,353,000 in 2008 representing an increase of 22 per cent.
“However, in arriving at the overall financial performance, the corporation had included Government grants of K4,598,727,000 in 2006, K4,490,741,000 in 2007 and K2,840,000,000 in 2008,” it stated.
“Whereas revenue increased by 45 per cent from K25,009,035,000 in 2006 to K36,178,264,000 in 2008, staff costs increased by 51% from K18,783,549,000 to K28,290,603,000 over the same period.”
In this regard, the report revealed that the staff costs to turnover ratio ranged between 75 per cent and 85 per cent over the three-year period.
“It is discernable from the above that the huge resources were being channelled towards staff costs. In his response dated 22nd June 2009, the Controlling Officer agreed with the observation that most of the financial resources are being spent on staff costs,” it stated.
“ZNBC’s current assets were insufficient to cover the current liabilities. The liquidity position continued to worsen from a deficit of K30,302,258,000 in 2006 to K46,482,591,000 in 2008. The increase in current liabilities is mainly attributed to the statutory contributions which stood at K29,465,189,000 in 2006, K37,561,107,000 in 2007 and K47,522,221,000 in 2008.
“In his response dated June 22, 2009, the controlling officer stated that the statutory debt burden at ZNBC over the years had grown as a result of a serious mismatch in terms of revenue and operational costs largely occasioned by the mandate of ZNBC to carry out more public broadcasting programmes than commercially driven ones.”
The report stated that the controlling officer added that while management had over the last three years managed to contain commercial debt and started dealing with statutory payments to NAPSA as they fell due, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Value Added Tax (VAT) due to ZRA had continued to be difficult to deal with and had been accumulating in huge quantums annually rising to over K47 billion as at March 31, 2008.
The report stated that the controlling officer further observed that over the years and realising the magnitude of the problem and the realities at ZNBC, the board tried to vary the financing model obtaining at ZNBC and challenged management to gear up the commercial arm of the corporation in an attempt to keep its operations afloat and that as a result, the financing model of ZNBC had progressively been tilting towards a more commercially driven operation.
The audit report revealed that contrary to the provisions of the Act which stipulates that board members should be appointed by the minister, the board at its meeting of May 8, 2006 resolved that the sitting director of finance should be a full board member to assist the board with information on the financial status of ZNBC.
“In this regard the finance director was irregularly paid board allowances in amounts totalling K31,700,000. In his response dated 22nd June 2009, the Controlling Officer stated that although the board was fully aware that section 9 (1) of the ZNBC Act refers to the appointment to sub committees, the board was of the firm view that finance in any institution is so critical that the presence of the director of finance at full board meetings was so vital hence the decision to incorporate the sitting director of finance on the board,” the report stated.
“The sitting director of finance was therefore invited on the basis of a board resolution. However, section 9 (1) of the ZNBC Act quoted by the controlling officer refers to the appointment of members to Sub-committees while the appointment of board members is the responsibility of the minister.”
Labels: AUDITOR GENERAL, UTH, ZNBC
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PF gives ZNBC 7-day ultimatum for fair, equal coverage
By George Chellah
Wed 05 May 2010, 03:50 CAT
THE Patriotic Front (PF) has given the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) a seven-day ultimatum demanding fair and equal coverage failure to which they shall commence legal proceedings against the corporation in the High Court.
In a letter to the ZNBC acting director general dated May 3, 2010, which was also copied to the chairperson Electoral Commission of Zambia, Messrs Ellis and Company, Messrs Permanent Chambers, W M Kabimba and Company stated that ZNBC had continued to cover only members of the MMD.
“We act for the Patriotic Front in the above quoted matter. Our client is a registered political party in Zambia and one of the leading participants in the political affairs of the country including by-elections,” read the letter in part.
“It is our client’s instructions that although your corporation is a public institution and contrary to the Electoral Code of Conduct which governs the management of our elections, you have continued to cover only members of the ruling MMD and government officials during elections to the exclusion of the PF and other political parties.”
They stated that the policy of exclusion of opposition political parties and unfair coverage had greatly disadvantaged these parties.
“And also the citizens and voters who cannot follow the performance of these political parties to enable them to make informed decisions before and during elections.
This policy or practice on the part of your organisation is prejudicial to the interests of the members of opposition political parties and undecided voters who depend on the public television channel like ZNBC to make their democratic decisions,” the letter stated.
“In view of the above, we have been instructed to demand from your office a firm undertaking that you shall from the date of this letter as a matter of policy render fair and equal coverage of all political parties during the broadcasting of the news on television and radio stations unless where opposition political parties have offered to give no comment over a matter of public interest.
The said undertaking must reach our chambers within 7 days from the date hereof failure to which we have instructions to commence legal proceedings in the High Court of Zambia to seek appropriate remedies accordingly.”
Labels: MEDIA, PF, ZNBC
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Musenge urges citizens to petition govt over proposed ZNBC amendment Bill
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Wed 24 Mar. 2010, 04:00 CAT
COPPERBELT Province PF chairperson Mwenya Musenge yesterday said people should petition the government against the proposed ZNBC amendment Bill that seeks to imprison people for failure to pay television levy and to grant more powers to the information minister.
The Bill which has passed through Parliament waiting for presidential assent, seeks to, among other things, remove the Appointments Committee for the ZNBC Board, provide for the collection of television levy by various agents such as television receivers and tuner retailers on behalf of ZNBC and empower the minister of information to exempt some people and organisations from paying television levy.
The government has argued that the Appointments Committee as contained in the current ZNBC Act was notorious and meant to favour people from the civil society.
But Musenge said there was need to stop the desperation with which the MMD government was trying to rule the country.
“If need arises, we shall engage the support of the international community and we shall soon get signatures and mobilise people to petition government against this Bill and generally laws are followed when acceptable to people and should not be imposed,” said Musenge. “And this Bill will not be fair because failure to pay television levy will land someone into prison and why should people be forced to watch ZNBC TV which always broadcast propaganda messages from the President and his ministers? Actually this Bill and many others which the MMD want to be in place before the 2011 elections must be stopped because they will just put more pressure on the suffering Zambians.”
Labels: MWENYA MUSENGE, ZNBC
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ZUBID asks govt to make ZNBC audit report public
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 14 Jan. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE Zambia Union of Broadcasters and Other Information Disseminators (ZUBID) has called on the government to make the audit of Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) public.
In a statement, ZUBID Lusaka branch chairman Elias Lungu also called on the government to address the many problems which remain unresolved at ZNBC.
“It is now more than seven months since the audit of ZNBC was done, but the findings have not been made public to date. As ZUBID we are concerned that some of the issues which have cost the corporation huge sums of money have continued to be perpetrated. This is mainly because the audit report has remained government secret,” he stated.
Lungu stated that implementation of the recommendations of the audit report were being done piecemeal and selectively.
“We have said it before that 155 per cent housing allowance for a few individuals including air time at more than K250,000 per month is not good, a luxury for a company which is said to be facing financial problems,” he stated.
“ZNBC has the capacity to stand on its own, mere termination of contracts is not enough. Tangible action should be seen to be done in order to save ZNBC,” he added.
Lungu stated that they were still stuck with a board of management which had outlived its legality adding that 10 years in office for a board was unprecedented in the history of the country.
Lungu appealed to ZNBC management to give dialogue a priority because adopting an indifference attitude would not make things any better.
Labels: AUDITING, ELIAS LUNGU, ZNBC, ZUBID
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ZNBC fires news manager over Rupiah’s campaign footage
Written by Ernest Chanda
Sunday, October 18, 2009 3:07:12 AM
THE Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) management has dismissed news manager Kelly Chubili over President Rupiah Banda’s campaign footage from the just-ended Kasama by-election that failed to run on the main news due to a technical fault.
And ZNBC director general Joseph Salasini, along with three other directors and the head of procurement, have been dismissed following various irregularities as revealed in the Auditor General's report over the operations of the national broadcaster.
According to a well-placed source in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, management was ordered by information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha to dismiss Chubili for allegedly being anti-ruling party.
The source said Chubili was allegedly betrayed by a named ZNBC reporter in Kasama after he reported to State House press aide Dickson Jere that the newsroom in Lusaka was full of anti-ruling party journalists.
“You see, when the President went to campaign in Kasama, he went with some journalists from Kitwe studios. Now, the camera person there had recorded one of President Banda’s campaign speeches in a wrong format. And when the tape was sent to ZNBC Lusaka studios it could play on the computers but not on the studio machines. The technicians there tried their best but they coud not succeed; even their IT department was summoned but nothing positive came out,” the source said.
“Upon noticing that the footage was not aired on the news, the ZNBC reporter who was with the President started telling Dickson Jere that what had happened was just planned in the Lusaka newsroom. This reporter went on to say that most of the people in the Lusaka newsroom were supporting the opposition political parties. 'Those guys there are UPND and PF sympathisers, so Mr Jere if you want the President to win the 2011 election, please re-organise that newsroom'.”
The source said the reporter had gone too far by framing an innocent person.
“As people from the ministry we know most of the operations of ZNBC. And I’m telling you my brother that was purely a technical problem, the tape was recorded in a wrong format. And you know what, this same person, the colleagues who were around tried to stop him from saying such things against his own colleagues but he said he didn’t care what happened thereafter,” the source said.
The source explained that Jere was angry after getting that report and said he had always suspected that some people in the newsroom were against the MMD government.
The source said Jere later called Lt Gen Shikapwasha and ordered him to fire some people in the newsroom, or else he would report him to the President.
“So [Lt] Gen Shikapwasha feared for his job and acted. Of course he could not just go straight into firing Chubili. He first looked at the pending issues as revealed in the Auditor General’s report about the institution. So the minister ordered the ZNBC Board to fire some directors and the director general Mr Salasini. But he was also given special instructions not to leave Chubili out of the drug net. What I know is that the minister pushed management into firing Chubili based on the pressure he was getting from Dickson Jere,” the source said.
“But this is a sad development, in all fairness it was wrong for that reporter to betray his colleagues just like that. We all know about the political pressure that those guys at ZNBC go through even though we are at the ministry. These are things we see nearly everyday; sometimes cadres are sent from high offices to go and issue statements against some NGOs [Non Governmental Organisations], diplomats, churches or political leaders. Sad enough, all the staff in the newsroom at ZNBC have been given political parties by this same reporter who framed Chubili. But even then cadreism should not go this far. You can’t just rejoice in having your colleagues fired and let their families suffer just like that.”
Efforts to get comment from Chubili proved futile by press time as he could not be reached on his mobile phone.
And when called for comment, Lt Gen Shikapwasha's mobile phone was constantly on voice mail.
ZNBC board chairman Augustine Seyuba revealed that the board of directors had terminated contracts for Salasini and three other directors.
Seyuba noted in a statement that the move was part of the re-organisation of the national broadcaster’s management.
“The ZNBC Board of Directors has terminated the contract for the Director General Joseph Salasini as part of the re-organisation of the management of the corporation announced last week by the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services,” Seyuba stated.
"Three directors responsible for: Programmes Mr Maxwell Ng’andu; Finance Mr Millen Siamiyoba; and Marketing and Sales, Mr Anthony Mhlanga have also had their contracts terminated while the board will not renew the contract for the Director of Human Resources, Miss Sepiso Kwaleyela which ends next month."
He stated that the board made the decisions in order to serve the interests of the corporation.
“It has become clear that the industrial environment at the corporation over the past few months had deteriorated significantly and was no longer condusive for the advancement of the objectives of the national broadcaster. The board has had to make these decisions to serve the best interests of ZNBC and to save the situation from degenerating further,” Seyuba stated.
“Other measures to be instituted as part of the reorganisation will include the immediate addressing of operational weaknesses pointed out by an audit conducted by the Auditor General at the invitation of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services. The board is determined to ensure that the financial status of the company is strengthened while improving ZNBC programming.”
And according to an internal memorandum signed by Kwaleyela, dated October 15, 2009 and pasted on ZNBC notice board last Friday, the affected directors and a news manager have already been replaced by other officers.
“Following the recent re-organisation of the management of ZNBC which has led to the departure of the Director of Programmes Mr Maxwell Ng’andu, Director of Marketing and Sales Mr Anthony Mhlanga, the Director of Finance Mr Millen Siamiyoba, Manager News Mr Kelly Chubili and the Head of Procurement and Supplies Mr Vyalema Ndhlovu, the following personnel have been asked to coordinate the affairs of their respective directorates/units for administrative purposes until further notice,” the memorandum read in part.
“Mr Jasat Mwanza – Finance, Mr Nkamu Nkamu – Programmes, Mr Clarence Mfula – Marketing, Mr Grevazio Zulu – Newsroom. Management is counting on you individually and severally to accord the above named staff your utmost cooperation and support for them to execute their duties to the expectation of management.”
In April this year, ZNBC unionised workers staged a peaceful demonstration against the management and board for allegedly failing to manage the corporation, forcing Salasini to lock himself up in his office with tight police protection.
The workers, through their union leader Simon Mwila revealed that they planned to petition President Rupiah Banda demanding for the dissolution of the ZNBC management and board of directors for alleged gross failure to manage the corporation and awarding themselves huge allowances while denying the unionised workers similar conditions of service.
Following the protests, Lt Gen Shikapwasha then asked the Auditor General’s office to audit the corporation’s books.
Recently, the Auditor General’s office compiled its report, which revealed a number of irregularities and handed it to Lt Gen Shikapwasha for further action.
Labels: ELECTIONS, RUPIAH BANDA, ZNBC
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'Shikapwasha should make public Auditor-General’s findings on ZNBC’
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 4:18:41 AM
THE media liaison committee (MLC) has demanded that information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha make public the full findings of the Auditor-General on the ZNBC audit without any further delay and take administrative action as recommended by the Auditor General. The media bodies, which sat on September 22, 2009, discussed among other matters of broadcasting development in Zambia, the deepening crisis at the state broadcaster Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).
The media bodies stated that any further delay of administrative action on ZNBC leaves them with serious doubts on the sincerity of the ministry in dealing with this matter.
They stated that the delay in concluding the mater further raised questions that perhaps there were attempts to doctor the findings of the Auditor General.
The committee noted that it had now been more than five months since the director general was sent on forced leave to facilitate for an audit and it had been about four months since the audit report on the operations of the corporation was released.
“Yet there has been no action on the matter and no reasonable response has come from the Minister of Information on the direction the company should take. We are concerned that even as it has been illegal for ZNBC to run under a board whose mandate expired a long time ago, it is worse that an atmosphere of suspense has been created with serious consequences on the operations of the corporation,” they stated. “As media watch groups, we pledge full solidarity with the workers’ union at ZNBC in whatever action they will resort if the matter is not resolved as soon as possible.”
They demanded that the corporation be run in line with the provisions of the ZNBC (Amendment) Act 0f 2002 without any further delay.
The media bodies stated that it was bad governance on the part of the minister that more than three years since the Supreme Court settled the matter, he had not implemented the provisions of the law but continued to sustain an illegal board that only serves its own selfish interests.
They stated that the patience that ZNBC employees had demonstrated was in the hope that the government was interested in the affairs of the corporation regarding the resolution of the maladministration workers protested against.
”But we get an impression that the government wants to participate in a cover-up. We shall not tolerate that because the truth is in the public domain. We have remained quiet on the matter only to give the government the respect to deal with the matter conclusively but this does not seem to be the case. We fear that the silence on this matter will be as long as it has taken to implement the ZNBC Act,” they stated.
This media liaison committee consists of members from the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA), Catholic Media Services (CMS), Zambia Media Women Association (ZAMWA), Media Institute for Southern Africa - (MISA) Zambia, Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ), Zambia Union of Broadcasters and other Information Disseminators (ZUBID), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) and The Press Freedom Committee (PFC) of The Post Newspapers.
Labels: AUDITOR GENERAL, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, ZNBC
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Chifungula finds ZNBC’s response to audit report not satisfactory
Written by George Chellah
Saturday, July 04, 2009 3:00:38 PM
AUDITOR General Anna Chifungula yesterday said some of the responses given by Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) management to her office's audit report on the corporation are not satisfactory.
In an interview, Chifungula confirmed that her office had concluded the audit on ZNBC and that
she was surprised that the audit report was published in The Post. She said her office had examined ZNBC management's response to the audit and some of the responses were not satisfactory.
"They sent to us responses which we have looked at and some of them we are not satisfied. Even their responses to me were a bit out of character, some of the language was very crude. Actually, even their clients some of them are writing really insulting letters to us after what you people published," Chifungula said. "It's just that I can't remember that client. We had one uncouth letter from one of them. They [ZNBC management] are entitled to their own responses and I am also complaining that I didn't like the tone of some of their responses."
The Auditor General's interim audit report on ZNBC revealed several financial irregularities, which include loses incurred amounting to K6 billion, tax evasion on retirement and gratuity and hefty board allowances among others.
According to the interim audit report obtained by The Post, in an internal minute dated November 12, 2008 the minister of information and broadcasting services approved the new sitting and quarterly allowances for the board.
"It was however observed that the quarterly and sitting allowances had been backdated to July 1, 2008. In this regard, the board members received arrears in the sum of K104,200,000.00," the report stated. "It was also observed that the board and its subcommittees met 44 times between March 2008 and March 2009. In this regard, a total of K384, 300,000.00 was spent on board allowances during the period in question."
But ZNBC management's response to the above irregularity was that the application for review of the board's quarterly and sitting allowances was made on July 30, 2007.
"In that letter, the board chairman was seeking the minister's approval for an upwards review of sitting allowances so as to approximate the level obtaining in other public media at the time," management stated. "The minister's approval was silent on whether or not the adjustments were effective from the date of the letter of the request. After debating the matter in the board meeting of November 17, 2008, the board was of the firm view that the adjustments were applicable from the date that the approval was sought from the minister."
On board allowances, management responded: "The correct position is that the 44 board meetings were held over a period of two years, i.e. from March 2007 to March 2009."
Barclays Bank head of government relations Augustine Seyuba chairs the ZNBC board. The other board members are information permanent secretary Emmanuel Nyirenda, Sr Rose Nyondo, Elias Mpondela, Joseph Chileshe, David Chimpinde and Bertha Lishomwa.
The report further showed that the corporation operated without a strategic plan up to the year ending 2008 and that a strategic plan covering the period 2009 to 2014 had however been put in place at a cost of K54, 045,312.
But in response ZNBC explained that, just like government, management was using its corporate budgets, which are prepared annually to run the corporation.
The report revealed that the corporation incurred losses of K1, 821,145,000 in 2006 and K5, 072,962,000 in 2007 and that interim results for 2008 showed that the situation was not likely to change.
"The losses are mainly attributed to staff costs which represented between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of turnover as opposed to the industry norm of 30 to 40 per cent," it stated.
In response, management agreed with the auditors that most of the financial resources were being spent on staff costs.
The report indicated that a review of the March 2009 payroll revealed that 43 per cent of the total payroll related to 74 management staff while 57 per cent related to 343 unionised staff.
Management's response was that: "whereas the auditors concentrated on the payroll issues, staff costs constitutes all costs including those paid outside payroll."
The audit report stated that the corporation's current assets were insufficient to cover the current liabilities.
And Chifungula said the forensic audit at the Ministry of Health headquarters had been concluded.
"We are now going to follow up these grants to find out if they reached at all," she said.
She said her office submitted the findings to the investigating wings yesterday.
"Since they commissioned it and we are doing it on their behalf. This is a forensic audit. It's for a specific purpose to help the investigators. And we attached the evidence," said Chifungula.
Labels: ANNA CHIFUNGULA, THE POST, ZNBC
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Govt consulting over report on ZNBC – Shikapwasha
Written by George Chellah
Wednesday, July 01, 2009 3:45:34 PM
INFORMATION minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha yesterday said the government is currently making formal consultations on the Auditor General’s audit report on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).
Commenting on the Auditor General's audit report on ZNBC, which revealed several financial irregularities, Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who is also chief government spokesperson, confirmed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had received the report on the corporation.
"I have got the audit report...I see you have published it. As government, we are doing the formal consultations, the report was given to me. The auditors gave a report and ZNBC management responded," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said.
"That's the report I got, it's a complete report. I only got a complete report last week. Anytime we should be able to conclude the consultations."
And sources within the ministry of information said the response given by ZNBC management to the audit report was not satisfactory.
"When you read the audit queries being raised by the auditors and the response given by ZNBC management, it's clear that management has not answered those queries, they were just making attempts to respond. Actually, some of the responses in that report are laughable," the source said.
"It's clear that both the ZNBC board and management have failed to run the corporation. What type of management can be talking of typing errors as being reason why six vehicles belonging to the corporation were irregularly disposed off by public tender? They have simply failed to run that institution.
"When you talk of barter system, there is a list of about 52 companies or so that the corporation does business with but in that audit when you check you will notice that management is only citing two companies. All these are just excuses," the source said
The sources said the minister of information should take action on the abuses because workers at the company could be agitated as the information was now in public domain.
The Auditor General's interim audit report on ZNBC revealed several financial irregularities, which include loses incurred amounting to K6 billion, tax evasion on retirement and gratuity and hefty board allowances among others.
According to the interim audit report obtained by The Post, in an internal minute dated November 12, 2008 the minister of information and broadcasting services approved the new sitting and quarterly allowances for the board.
"It was however observed that the quarterly and sitting allowances had been backdated to July 1, 2008. In this regard, the board members received arrears in the sum of K104,200,000.00," the report stated.
"It was also observed that the board and its subcommittees met 44 times between March, 2008 and March 2009. In this regard, a total of K384,300,000.00 was spent on board allowances during the period in question."
But ZNBC management's response to the above irregularity was that the application for review of the board's quarterly and sitting allowances was made on July 30, 2007.
"In that letter, the board chairman was seeking the minister's approval for an upwards review of sitting allowances so as to approximate the level obtaining in other public media at the time," management stated.
"The minister's approval was silent on whether or not the adjustments were effective from the date of the letter of the request. After debating the matter in the board meeting of November 17, 2008, the board was of the firm view that the adjustments were applicable from the date that the approval was sought from the minister."
On board allowances, management responded: "The correct position is that the 44 board meetings were held over a period of two years, i.e. from March 2007 to March 2009."
Barclays Bank head of government relations Augustine Seyuba chairs the ZNBC board. The other board members are information permanent secretary Emmanuel Nyirenda, Sr Rose Nyondo, Elias Mpondela, Joseph Chileshe, David Chimpinde and Bertha Lishomwa.
The report further showed that the corporation operated without a strategic plan up to the year ending 2008 and that a strategic plan covering the period 2009 to 2014 had however been put in place at a cost of K54,045,312.
But in response ZNBC explained that, just like government, management was using its corporate budgets, which are prepared annually to run the corporation.
The report revealed that the corporation incurred loses of K1,821,145,000 in 2006 and K5,072,962,000 in 2007 and that interim results for 2008 showed that the situation was not likely to change.
"The losses are mainly attributed to staff costs which represented between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of turnover as opposed to the industry norm of 30 to 40 per cent," it stated.
In response, management agreed with the auditors that most of the financial resources were being spent on staff costs.
The report indicated that a review of the March 2009 payroll revealed that 43 per cent of the total payroll related to 74 management staff while 57 per cent related to 343 unionised staff.
Management's response was that: "Whereas the auditors concentrated on the payroll issues, staff costs constitutes all costs including those paid outside payroll."
The audit report stated that the corporation's current assets were insufficient to cover the current liabilities.
Recently, workers at ZNBC demanded a salary increment of K700,000 but management asked the workers to forego their demands as the company faced difficulties due to the global economic meltdown. After a series of meetings the workers downed tools and demanded the removal of the board and management.
Following the protest, information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha intervened and advised the workers to return to work and asked the Auditor General's office to carry out an audit on the allegations levelled against management and the board. Salasini went on leave and the special audit on the company was carried out from May 6 to 31, 2009.
Labels: AUDITOR GENERAL, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, ZNBC
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Financial irregularities rock ZNBC
Written by George Chellah
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 3:05:19 PM
THE Auditor General's interim audit report on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) has revealed several financial irregularities, which include losses incurred amounting to K6 billion, tax evasion on retirement and gratuity and hefty board allowances among others.
According to the interim audit report obtained by The Post, in an internal minute dated November 12, 2008 the minister of information and broadcasting services approved the new sitting and quarterly allowances for the board.
"It was however observed that the quarterly and sitting allowances had been backdated to July 1, 2008. In this regard, the board members received arrears in the sum of K104,200,000.00," the report stated. "It was also observed that the board and its subcommittees met 44 times between March, 2008 and March 2009. In this regard, a total of K384,300,000.00 was spent on board allowances during the period in question."
But ZNBC management's response to the above irregularity was that the application for review of the board's quarterly and sitting allowances was made on July 30, 2007.
"In that letter, the board chairman was seeking the minister's approval for an upwards review of sitting allowances so as to approximate the level obtaining in other public media at the time," management stated. "The minister's approval was silent on whether or not the adjustments were effective from the date of the letter of the request. After debating the matter in the board meeting of November 17, 2008, the board was of the firm view that the adjustments were applicable from the date that the approval was sought from the minister."
On board allowances, management responded: "The correct position is that the 44 board meetings were held over a period of two years, i.e. from March 2007 to March 2009."
Barclays Bank head of government relations Augustine Seyuba chairs the ZNBC board. The other board members are information permanent secretary Emmanuel Nyirenda, Sr Rose Nyondo, Elias Mpondela, Joseph Chileshe, David Chimpinde and Bertha Lishomwa.
The report further showed that the corporation operated without a strategic plan up to the year ending 2008 and that a strategic plan covering the period 2009 to 2014 had however been put in place at a cost of K54,045,312.
But in response ZNBC explained that, just like government, management was using its corporate budgets, which are prepared annually to run the corporation.
The report revealed that the corporation incurred losses of K1,821,145,000 in 2006 and K5,072,962,000 in 2007 and that interim results for 2008 showed that the situation was not likely to change.
"The losses are mainly attributed to staff costs which represented between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of turnover as opposed to the industry norm of 30 to 40 per cent," it stated.
In response, management agreed with the auditors that most of the financial resources were being spent on staff costs.
The report indicated that a review of the March 2009 payroll revealed that 43 per cent of the total payroll related to 74 management staff while 57 per cent related to 343 unionised staff.
Management's response was that: "Whereas the auditors concentrated on the payroll issues, staff costs constitutes all costs including those paid outside payroll."
The audit report stated that the corporation's current assets were insufficient to cover the current liabilities.
"The liquidity position continued to worsen from a deficit of K30,302,258,000 in 2006 to K46,482,591,000 in 2008. The increase in current liabilities is mainly attributed to the statutory contributions, which stood at K29,465,189,000 in 2006, K37,561,107,000 in 2007 and K47,522,221,000 in 2008. This factor is worsened by continued practice by management staff to lump the payment of Pay As You Earn tax on various allowances on the corporation," the report stated.
In response, management stated that the current statutory debt burden had been a matter of great concern to the current and past boards of directors.
The report additionally revealed that there was no policy or guidelines in place with respect to barter transactions and that there was no board approval authorising management to engage in such transactions.
"There was no proper documentation and records in the form of goods received notes (GRN) indicating goods or services exchanged. In this regard, 55 clients who were on ZNBC's barter account were owing the corporation K5,196,051,554.06 with regard to the sale of airtime. The amounts owed to ZNBC by the various clients ranged from K1,090,120 to K2,215,343,331.48. A review of selected client accounts revealed that the accounts were not reconciled on a regular basis. The implication of this control weakness is that individuals would easily collect goods for their personal use and pass on the bill to ZNBC," it stated.
But management's response was that whereas it was correct to say that there was no written policy per se on barter transactions, the guidelines were there.
According to the report, there was no evidence of a formal partnership agreement between ZNBC and the Zambia Amatuer Athletics Association (ZAAA) on the partnership of the Inter-Company Relay.
"The president of ZAA [Mpondela] who is chairman of the Inter-Company Relay was a board member of the ZNBC board and chairman of the finance/marketing and sales subcommittee of the board of ZNBC during the period under review. There was no evidence of the board member having declared interest. In 2007, the corporation quoted K173,489,674.08 for promotional campaign and live coverage of the Inter-Company Relay. Documents revealed that ZAAA negotiated and contracted the service at a sum of K85,690,344.33 representing a questionable discount of 51 per cent (87,799,329.70)," the report stated. "A review of the ZNBC event budget and offer letter to ZAAA for the Inter-Company Relay race for 2009 revealed that out of the total cost of K383,747,769.79, ZNBC would absorb a sum of K263,747,769.79 and ZAAA was expected to pay only K120,000,000. The benefits to ZNBC from this transaction was however not properly quantified. As of May, 2009 the corporation had commenced the promotional campaigns for 2009 Inter-Company Relay."
ZNBC management in response stated: "Whereas it is correct that there is no formal partnership agreement in form of an MoU between ZNBC and ZAAA on Inter-Company Relay race, the relationship is born out through various correspondence between the two parties."
The report indicated that during the 2008 presidential by-election, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) engaged Location Challenge Advertising Agency as its media agent for the presidential by-election.
"In this regard, Location Challenge entered into contract with ZNBC to place publicity and announcements on ZNBC TV valued at K970,384,121.03. The following were however observed that ZNBC irregularly paid Location Challenge a commission of K150,576,846.37 for sourcing business to ZNBC when the agent was acting on behalf of ECZ," the report stated. "It was further observed that Location Challenge irregularly withheld a sum of K97,000,000.00 out of a sum of K970,384,121.03 due to ZNBC. In unclear circumstances, management through a letter dated 28th November 2008 agreed to receive the K97,000,000 over a period of five months commencing December 2008. As of May 2009, Location Challenge had not paid ZNBC the withheld funds."
In response, management stated that Location Challenge was a duly registered ZNBC agent.
"In this connection, Location Challenge was entitled to commission for bringing business to ZNBC. It is also important to mention that the payments were made directly to Location Challenge by ECZ," they stated.
According to the audit report, as of March 2009, the corporation was owed a sum of K12,826,825,000 out of which K4,686,404,000 was possible bad debt.
The corporation's management agreed that there was need to put together a credit policy, which must be approved by the board.
The report also indicated that a review of the debtors accounts for the period April 2002 to March 2008 revealed that debts in amounts totaling K438,344,643 involving 35 clients were irregularly written off to the discounts and commissions accounts and that the accounts were given 100 per cent discounts.
In response management explained that debts were adjusted where after invoicing a client and that such a client writes to communicate non-performance of the contract by the corporation through the marketing department. They further explained that once verification was done then the adjustment would be passed.
On salary progression for the director general, the report stated that during the period of the contract July 2005 to July 2008, the director general's salary increased from K14,157,668 to K24, 448,833 per month representing an increment of 72 per cent.
And management stated that salary progression for the director general was based on individual performance and general staff increment awarded by the board.
The auditors further highlighted that management revised the value of salary notches in relation to the annual appraisals for contract staff effective October 2007 and that the increment was between 239 and 294 per cent.
Management agreed that the board did not sit to review the notch values.
The report revealed a questionable salary structure stating that the marketing manager who is in grade eight had an annual basic salary of K27,984,000 while the secretary to the director marketing who is in grade six had an annual basic salary of K37,220,000.
ZNBC management agreed with the auditors that the corporation had a defective salary structure.
It further indicated that contrary to the tax regulations, management was computing tax on retirement package and gratuity using PAYE rates as opposed to the rates for terminal benefits and qualifying gratuity.
"A review of the PAYE account revealed that the tax on retirement benefits and gratuity were written off thereby reducing tax liability. In this regard, a sum of K7,229,870,494.59 tax on retirement benefits and gratuity had been written off during the period April 2003 to March 2009," the report stated.
But ZNBC management dismissed this claim by the auditors, saying it was incorrect and totally misleading.
The report stated that during the financial year ended March 31, 2009 management consumed talk time worth K135,291,865.
Management stated that talk time was not an entitlement, explaining that it was an operational provision.
The report showed that the corporation disposed off six vehicles by public tender and that the offer letters for the successful bidders were dated between October 9 to 19, 2007, about twelve days before the tender closing date.
Management responded that the dates reflected on the offer letters had "typing errors."
The auditors noted that on November 3, 2008 the then director of technical services wrote to the director general to be allowed to purchase the personal to holder vehicle following the end of his contract.
"The motor vehicle was procured by the corporation in June 2006 at a cost of K87,435,000 [Nissan Hard Body ABG 934]. Contrary to company policy, the car was sold before a replacement was made. It was observed that the corporation sold the car at K14,579,786.25 as opposed to K32,788,125 resulting in under valuation of the K18,208,388.75," the report stated.
In response, management insisted that the depreciation rate used was correct.
The report disclosed that in November 2001, the corporation procured two Toyota Corona AAX 6155 and AAX 6156 at a cost of K23,100,000.00 each and that the vehicles were insured at a cost of K30 million each.
"On 12th January 2003, the then director of marketing Joseph Salasini's personal to holder car, AAX 6156 was stolen in Woodlands at gunpoint around 20:00 hours. On 31st March 2003, motor vehicle AAX 6155 belonging to marketing and sales department was stolen at the house of the then director marketing and sales Joseph Salasini around 03:30 hours less than three months after the other car was stolen," the report stated. "In an internal memorandum dated 4th April 2002 to the director of human resource from administration officer, it was noted that a white book for AAX 6155 went before the car was stolen. It was also observed that management had over-insured the vehicles at K30 million. However, the insurance company only paid K21,120,000.00 as compensation for each vehicle."
ZNBC management responded that it was difficult to establish whether there was negligence on the part of the officer as at that time there was a high rate of car thefts in Lusaka.
The report revealed that ZNBC paid K90,746,860 to Keroba Investments Limited to supply various studio equipment and that the supplier had not yet delivered the equipment resulting in a delay of over two years.
Management acknowledged that the supplier was paid and did not deliver the equipment.
Management stated that the supplier claimed that there was an irregularity on the specifications reflected on the order which management did not agree to.
The audit report showed that imprest amounting to K38,826,000.00 and US$1,840 issued to eight officers between May 2008 and April 2009 was not retired as of May 2009.
Management replied that some imprest had been retired while other officers had been directed to retire or face deductions through payroll.
It was further noted that 25 payment vouchers amounting to K99,479,900 paid between January 2008 and December 2008 was not retired.
Management responded that they would take measures to recover any outstanding imprest.
The report further showed that though ZNBC was audited by KPMG, there was no evidence that the external auditors had physically audited the Northern region which operated independently in terms of revenue collection and expenditure.
In response, management stated that it would bring the matter to the attention of KPMG though external auditors plan their audit work without management interference.
Recently, workers at ZNBC demanded a salary increment of K700,000 but management asked the workers to forego their demands as the institution faced difficulties due to the global economic meltdown. After a series of meetings the workers downed tools and demanded the removal of the board and management. Following the protest, information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha intervened and advised the workers to return to work and asked the Auditor General's office to carry out an audit on the allegations levelled against management and the board. Salasini went on leave and the special audit on the company was carried out from May 6 to 31, 2009.
Labels: AUDITOR GENERAL, ZNBC
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ZNBC staff protest against management, board
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and Katwishi Bwalya
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 3:24:35 AM
UNIONISED workers at ZNBC yesterday staged a peaceful demonstration against the management and board for allegedly failing to manage the corporation, forcing their director general Joseph Salasini to lock himself up in his office with tight police protection. The irate workers followed Salasini and other senior managers to his office shortly upon his arrival from lunch.
The workers, through their union leader Simon Mwila revealed that they plan to petition President Rupiah Banda demanding for the dissolution of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) management and board of directors for alleged gross failure to manage the corporation and awarding themselves huge allowances while denying the unionised workers similar conditions of service.
The workers who camped just at the entrance of ZNBC started jeering at Salasini when he arrived from lunch.
The workers forced Salasini to pass on the lawn for him to enter the building on his way to his office.
Asked for comment on the workers' plans to petition the President on his failure to manage the corporation, Salasini said he was not unsettled by the action.
"Zambia is a free world, so they can write. Yah!" said Salasini, who was shaking, as he walked to his office. "There is no money."
The workers followed Salasini to his office. As soon as he entered his office with police escort, Salasini locked it.
The workers banged the doors and chanted anti-management slogans as they walked to Salasini's office where they camped.
"Achoke! Achoke! Abash Salasini! Abash management!" the workers shouted. "Choka! Choka! Choka! [Come out! Come out!]"
Others carried placards, which read: "The management and the board must go!! The board has failed to supervise management!! Head of TV licence Alfeyo zwaah[go] !! D.M zwaah! Hon Shikapwasha help us!! 135% housing allowance tax free for management imagine!!"
Some workers were threatening to break the door while others pleaded with them not to do so.
"No violence!" they shouted. "Salasini Choka! Choka!"
At that point four more police officers came in to reinforce their colleagues who were already inside Salasini's office.
The workers continued to denounce Salasini and his fellow directors.
"We will sleep here!" they shouted. The workers put placards against the door to Salasini's office and those of other directors.
Earlier, Zambia Union of Broadcasters and other Information Disseminators (ZUBID) leader Mwila said the workers were considering petitioning President Banda over the matter.
"We want management to be removed for their failure to manage the corporation. We had a general meeting and members resolved that the entire board and management be dismissed because they have totally failed to run this institution. It's a sit-in protest because we want the higher authorities to understand our plight, at least to get rid of the board and management," Mwila said. "The petition may not go to the minister; we are still considering, it may even go to somebody who is higher than the minister."
Asked if the person higher than the minister he was referring to was the President, Mwila responded: "It's possible. We are also exploring that possibility that we take it to the President instead of the minister."
He wondered why management had refused to improve conditions of service for unionised workers when managers and directors had given themselves hefty conditions of service.
"What can amount to mismanagement of funds is that ZNBC management awards themselves housing allowance of 135 per cent and then they get all that and lump it to their salaries and it becomes one package; that is mismanagement because such kind of resources are supposed to be paid evenly so that even unionised workers also benefit," he said. "We [unionised workers] only asked for K700,000 across the board but management is not willing to give us anything. Zero increase that is what they say. Unionised workers get between K200,000 and K500,000 housing allowance."
And in a joint petition by ZUBID and the National Union for Communication Workers, the workers condemned the 135 per cent housing allowance management awarded itself.
"We the undersigned unionised members of staff of ZNBC during a meeting held in the Cinema Hall of ZNBC on Tuesday, 14th April 2009, do hereby resolve to petition over the board and management gross failure to manage the affairs of the corporation," read the petition.
They claimed that the management and the board were to blame for the poor programming and reception currently being experienced by ZNBC.
The workers further demanded for the tribunal to be set to investigate the board and management over the alleged financial irregularities facing ZNBC.
Some of the contents in the petition include salary harmonisation between management and the workers, review of the 135 per cent housing allowance for management, tribunal to investigate management among others.
In the morning, the workers had forced Salasini, who was reluctant to address them, out of his office for a meeting with them.
The slogan chanting workers sung anti-management songs with placards reading Abash Paraffin [reference to Joseph Salasini] with other placards reading: "RB help us!"
During a meeting with Salasini, the workers openly told him that he and other directors had failed to run the affairs of the corporation.
Salasini told the workers that their salaries could not be reviewed because of the credit crunch, which had not spared ZNBC.
"The effect of the global crisis is with us. In the last six to eight months, we have seen a reduction on advertising space on the main news from 11 minutes to three-four minutes which has seen a reduction in our revenue as very few people are advertising with us due to the economic crunch," Salasini said.
However, he said the coming of the new TV channel would ease the situation as more people were expected to advertise on the new channel to increase the revenue base for the company.
Salasini said the financial position of the company was very bad and urged the workers to be patient.
But the workers were not amused by Salasini's address, which they said did not give them any hope.
"I have been working for this company for 15 years and I have seen that management is just interested in uplifting their plight at the expense of the workers.... I think you have failed and shame on you," said one of the workers amid applauds from the other employees.
The workers also urged management to ensure that there was no interference from politicians in the affairs of ZNBC.
"It is high time you tell politicians ...and don't allow any politicians ... any nonentity to come on TV for nothing because if politicians are in charge even the coming of channel two will not solve anything," said one worker. "Just like the other day during the indaba, we were forced to suspend the running of adverts just to accommodate the live coverage of the indaba and do you think clients would be happy with that? These are some of the things that are making us lose on our clients."
Labels: ZNBC
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Apathy characterized presidential vote
October 30, 2008
Apathy has characterized Thursday’s presidential election to choose Zambia’s fourth Republican President. Polling stations in most parts of the country, which recorded a fairly good early turnout, were empty by midday, casting doubts that most of the 3.9 million registered voters would cast their ballots.
A survey by ZNBC in Lusaka and other parts of the country revealed that most polling stations have recorded low turnout. ZNBC staff covering the election in different parts of the country report that less than 50 percent of the registered voters turned up to cast their ballots.
The voting has also been characterized by some other shortcomings.
Some registered voters who lost their cards and had applied for replacements could not cast their ballots because electoral officials failed to trace the cards.
This problem was evident at polling stations in various parts of the country, prompting calls from a number of political stakeholders for urgent measures to address the matter.
The Independent Churches of Zambia and other Non governmental organizations appealed to the Electoral Commission of Zambia to ensure that persons who have not yet voted are given chance to cast their ballots.
Polling stations were expected to close at 18.00 hours, but time was extended in some areas, such as Kitwe, to allow voters whose cards were traced late to cast their ballots.
[ZNBC]
Labels: ELECTIONS, POLLING, ZNBC
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ZNBC stops Sata's adverts
By Patson Chilemba in Nangweshi
Tuesday October 21, 2008 [04:00]
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said he would take legal action against the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) for withdrawing his campaign adverts from television. And Sata yesterday held private talks with the Litunga of Western Province and described the talks as fruitful. In an interview after his meeting with the Litunga, Sata said he would take ZNBC to court over the cancellation of his adverts from running on national television.
Sata advised information permanent secretary Emmanuel Nyirenda not to be partisan. On his meeting with the Litunga, Sata said he told the Litunga that the PF government would restore authority back to the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE), which was taken away from them.
Asked if the Litunga had endorsed his candidature, Sata said it was not for him to speak, but described the talks as fruitful.
"You see, the Barotse Royal Establishment did not want full cessation, they wanted to get back the authority Dr Kenneth Kaunda took away from them of managing their own affairs," Sata said. "I have to bring it back so that these people can administer themselves, they need their dignity back. The Litunga appreciated this."
The meeting between Sata and the Litunga lasted over 40 minutes.
Before the meeting with the Litunga, Sata held another meeting with the Ng'ambela of the Litunga and several indunas for 30 minutes.
During the meeting, one of the indunas asked for Sata's position on the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) in an event that he were elected as president.
In response, Sata said he would make the NCC more inclusive than it was currently.
On Sunday, Sata met senior chief Mboanjikana of the Lozi people in Kalabo district.
Sata promised to enhance the dignity of chiefs, such as according them rights of overseeing developmental projects in their areas. Sata also promised to give chiefs vehicles on grant.
And chieftainess Mboanjikana wished Sata well throughout his campaigns.
She agreed with Sata's proposals on improving chiefs' authority and welfare.
"What you said is very true. Take for instance my house here. The current system of assisting royal highnesses is unfair because if I don't have money, this house will remain like this and yet it's government's duty to do that. If we had stuck to the old system of chiefs, I'm pretty sure things were going to work well," chieftainess Mboanjikana said.
And addressing a well-attended rally later in Kalabo, Sata said he would improve the agriculture sector in the area. He said it was sad that animals were dying because the government had failed to find medicine.
He further dispelled assertions that he would chase the Mbunda people to Angola.
"Who am I going to rule if I chase you?" asked Sata.
And Sata stopped by in Shang'ombo district yesterday where he quickly addressed a small crowd.
However, he was approached by a police officer who asked him whether or not he had obtained a permit to talk to the people.
But Sata explained that he had just dropped by and did not need to get a police permit to chat with the people.
Meanwhile, Sata revealed that there were attempts to assassinate him by the government before the October 30 presidential elections.
Sata said he had information of meetings that were held to plot his assassination.
"I'm aware of meetings in Kabwe and Luanshya, but even if they kill me now, there will be no elections. If that's the shortcut they are planning, then Rupiah Banda is wasting his time," said Sata. "If you remember, it was on Muvi TV when they said I should go for review in South Africa. Had I gone, I would not have come back alive."
Labels: SATA, ZNBC
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PF threatens to sue ZNBC
By Chibaula Silwamba
Friday September 26, 2008 [04:00]
LAWYERS representing the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) have threatened to commence legal proceedings against state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) if it does not cover PF's campaign activities in a fair and professional manner.
According to a letter dated September 25, 2008 to ZNBC director general, PF's lawyers, WM Kabimba and Company stated that the PF had observed that ZNBC had discriminated the party in its coverage of campaign activities contrary to the electoral Act regulations.
"We act for the Patriotic Front which is the largest opposition political party in Zambia today. Our client's instructions are to the effect that following the announcement of the presidential by-election scheduled for 30th October, 2008, ZNBC has discriminated against the PF in the coverage of its campaign in particular the public rallies and radio programmes," the lawyers stated in a letter which was also copied to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson and PF president. "We have advised our client political party that ZNBC as a public media institution is obliged by law to give equal and fair coverage to all political parties."
The lawyers stated that that position was supported by the electoral Act regulations, which ZNBC had ignored in favour of the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD).
"In view of the foregoing, unless you immediately comply with the electoral Act regulations to cover our client's campaign activities in a fair and professional manner on both radio and television, we have instructions to commence legal proceedings against ZNBC in the High Court without any further notice to seek appropriate remedies accordingly," the lawyers stated
Labels: PF, SATA, ZNBC
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