The former Minister of Commerce Robert Sichinga has accused Minister of Information Dora Siliya as being behind the decision taken by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) to suspend Prime Television’s licence.
“I can tell you that it is not IBA that has decided, this is a directive from the Minister herself,” Sichinga is quoted as stating.
“Prime TV must be opened… And then they tell Prime TV to appeal to the same minister that ordered for its closure, that is against the rules of natural justice; you cannot be the judge and jury at the same time,” he continued.
Sichinga warned the PF to “stop this nonsense” stating, “Honestly, we can’t carry on like this. And we’ve got a lawyer for a President, he knows these are human rights. So can’t he stand up and stop this? Because no minister can issue such a statement without the President knowing.”
NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili previously alleged that two members of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) had reliably informed him that Prime TV was closed by State House.
“First and foremost I am reliably informed by two board members that the decision was not done in the interest of the nation neither was it backed by law but it was just an instruction from State House and the Ministry of Information. The board must resign because instead of following the laid down procedures and the law, they decide to succumb to pressure by the minister and State House. What they have done has no backing of the law,” Kambwili stated.
“Let us learn to coexist and accept divergent views. If you just want people to be listening to your own voice always then you are a wrong leader because a good leader listens to criticism and is able to make amends based on the criticism,” he continued.
The NDC leader claimed that the IBA has abused its authority by invoking Section 29 of the IBA Act without evidence.
“If you read the letter that they wrote to Prime TV it will even show you that the letter was irregular. Prime TV has not been charged with any case which they included in their letter. Now how do they write that in the letter? Even the way the letter was written was all illegal and wrong. We call upon the President, Edgar Chagwa, Dora Siliya, Amos Malupenga to advise the board to rescind that decision and give back the licence to Prime TV,” Kamwbili argued.