PRESIDENT LUNGU ASSURES JOURNALISTS
By Joy Siatubi
President Edgar Lungu has assured journalists that the state will not allow anyone to harass them during the course of their duties.
President Lungu says he will not countenance violence on journalists, and those in the habit of attacking journalists, whether Patriotic Front or opposition, risk being prosecuted.
The President made the assurance this morning at State House when he held a virtual meeting with members of the Zambia Union of journalists, ZUJ.
He said it is the duty of the police to ensure a safe environment for journalists, adding that violence against journalists is not part of the PF policy and anyone engaging in violence, whether Patriotic Font or opposition will be arrested.
The ZUJ members had requested to meet the President to discuss various matters affecting their members.
And President Lungu has allayed fears among journalists that there would mass redundancies as a result of the merger of Times Printpak Zambia Limited and the Zambia Daily Mail Limited.
According to ZUJ president Samuel Lukhanda there is anxiety at Times Printpak Zambia Limited arising from the rumoured merger of the two companies.
But President Lungu said the two companies will continue running as separately despite having one chief executive.
The two companies are under the Industrial Development Corporation -IDC- whose chairman is President Lungu.
The President said the two companies are in the process of restructuring and in the event that some redundancies happen, the affected employees will be paid their dues.
And President Lungu has said the media plays a critical role in the democratic dispensation and this is why his Government advocates for self-regulation of the media so that journalists operate freely.
The President added that his Government allows journalists to express themselves without hindrance.
And Mr. Lukhanda said journalists would like to be considered among the first people to be vaccinated against covid-19 since they are also frontline workers to which the President agreed.
The ZUJ leaders also informed the President that their salaries needed to be improved and that they are in dire need of support from the Government to cover the forthcoming elections.
The President promised to help the journalists so that coverage of elections is not affected by logistical problems.
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