Media Crackdown Continues - MUVI TV & Komboni Radio Licences Revoked

The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has reportedly suspended broadcasting licences for Muvi TV, Komboni Radio and Itezhi Tezhi Radio respectively for it terms as “unprofessional conduct posing a risk to national peace and stability”.

IBA has cited section 29 (1)(j) of the IBA amendment act of 2010 which cites that “the IBA board may cancel a broadcasting license if the cancellation of the license is necessary in the interest of public safety, security, peace, welfare or good order”.

Earlier today, the authority issued a warning to broadcast media houses and later called for a second briefing in the afternoon.

Muvi TV and Komboni Radio have recently endured accusations of siding with the opposition UPND. Observers say the two broadcasting stations were the most independent during the campaign period.

Ironically ZNBC has received no such attack from the IBA despite being heavily in favour of the incumbent PF government during the last campaign. ZNBC refused to air opposition campaign videos and when pushed by the courts aired them in the early hours of the morning or late at night rendering them useless. 

The closing of MUVI TV & Komboni Radio means that opposition parties now have even less access to media platforms, the majority of print papers are now government owned and the government continues to find and punish online users who criticise their work. The democratic space in Zambia gets ever smaller...