ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL FIRES PHOTOJOURNALIST FOR TAKING PICTURES OF PEOPLE QUEUING FOR MEALIE MEAL IN NDOLA’S MAIN MASALA MARKET
By Fox Reporter
GOVERNMENT controlled Zambia Daily Mail Limited has with immediate effect fired a named photo journalist for taking pictures of people queuing for mealie meal in Ndola’s Main Masala Market.
According to a letter of complaint and response from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security who arbitrated on the matter, the pictures were taken this year in June when the towns on the Copperbelt Province were experiencing shortages of mealie meal as a result of smuggling.
According to the letter affected photo journalist sent pictures captured from Main Masala of people queuing for mealie meal to the supervisors who published the pictures on the company’s online platform.
However, the picture angered senior government officials, including State House who accused the named photo journalist of working against and sabotaging government.
In June the country experienced an increase of mealie meal shortages on the Copperbelt as a result of smuggling into the Democratic Republic of Congo.
What is shocking in the dismissal of the journalist, the Ministry of Labour after the arbitration found no offence against the reporter, but failed to make a pronouncement on the matter and referred the case to Court for wrong dismissal.
Details in the letter bellow
It will be a beautiful day when we get rid of this rubbish.
You will be brought back as a chief editor and will be compensated accordingly.
Fired just for doing your job which is to report what is happening on the ground whether good or bad. Sue them for wrongful dismissal and collect your bumper harvest. Upnd we expected better from you but you are turning out to be worse dictators.