Unite media fraternity, MISA urged
THE newly elected National Governing Council of Media Institute of Southern Africa has been prodded to help unite the media fraternity in Zambia.
NAREP Central Province chairperson Belington Mulenga urged the new Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) National Governing Council (NGC) to continue advocating for media freedom through the enactment of the Information Bill.
In an interview with the Daily Nation, Mr Mulenga commended the media community for holding a peaceful Elective Annual General Meeting which was held in Lusaka last Saturday.
The opposition leader, has congratulated re-elected MISA Zambia chairperson Hellen Mwale with her team who polled 106 votes against her contestant Wilson Mpondamali who trailed with 33 votes.
Mr Mulenga said the election was just the beginning of the betterment of the media industry and called on the media body to help unite the industry.
“NAREP in Central Province congratulates the media community for holding a peaceful election and we urge MISA to help unite the industry and advocate for media freedoms,” he said.
He said there was need for more investigative stories and the dissemination of information which directly affected members of the public such as the misappropriation of funds in the Auditor General report.
Others elected included former Radio Phoenix editor Hyde Haguta as vice chairperson with Fr. Barnabas Simatende, Millennium Radio news editor Martin Akende and Veronica Mwaba joining the NGC as committee members.
The three committee members went unopposed and will serve on the MISA Zambia NGC for the first time.
The MISA Zambia National Governing Council provides policy direction to the strongest media advocacy body’s secretariat in Zambia thus rendering it a true democratic membership driven organisation.