MISA ZAMBIA CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON PASME RADIO
MISA Zambia condemns the attacks on PASME Radio station in Petauke District of Eastern Province by suspected United Party for National Development (UPND) Cadres.
The attacks happened in the early hours of today Friday, 4th November, 2022 by suspected UPND cadres who stormed PASME radio and interrupted a live broadcast programme that was discussing farmers preparedness for the 2022/23 farming season.
The cadres who forced their way into the on-air studio beat up Mr Lovemore Phiri, who happens to be a reporter and presenter at the radio station and further, caused damages to the studio equipment, resulting in the radio station going off-air.
As if that was not enough, around 08:15hrs another group of suspected UPND cadres drove into the radio station and chased after Mr. Phiri who had to run away upon seeing the vehicle driving into the radio station premises.
The cadres managed to catch Mr. Phiri in a nearby neighborhood and attacked him physically and threatened to kill him. Mr. Phiri, was rescued by members of the community who ran to the scene.
MISA Zambia is deeply concerned by these acts and calls upon all well-meaning Zambian to condemn them. These acts do not only pause as a threat to media freedom and freedom of expression in the country but are a danger to our democracy. The acts are also an attack to the Head of State who has shown commitment towards the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms of expression and the media.
We wish to express our disappointment with the UPND in Petauke District for beating up an unarmed presenter and causing damage to the radio station which provides people of Petauke with a platform to exercise their democratic right to freedom of expression.
We wish to remind the UPND that media freedom and freedom of expression is a constitutional right that should be enjoyed by every Zambian. The UPND cadres are out of order and their actions should not be tolerated any further.
We further, commend the members of the community for coming to the rescue of Mr. Phiri and ensuring that his life is protected. We call upon all Zambians not to relent but to continue fighting for their democratic right of freedom of expression and for the media to operate in a friendly environment.
We would like to bring this matter to the attention of the Republican President and the UPND leadership to discipline the suspects in question as their actions do not reflect the true reason why Zambians voted for them.
Issued by
MISA Zambia
Fr. Barnabas Simatende, OMI (PhD)
Chairperson
