UPND Accuse PF Of More Radio Censorship

The United Party for National Development (UPND) has accused the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) of working with ZESCO to sabotage a scheduled radio appearance by UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema yesterday morning.

The UPND accused President Lungu’s party of colluding with ZESCO to cut power to Kariba Radio station at the time when Mr Hichilema was due to speak. 

In a statement released to the press, the UPND labelled the incident an “act of sabotage” and accused the PF of attempting to “curtail the voices of those with dissenting views”. 

The incident follows several weeks of attacks by PF cadres against radio stations due to broadcast messages from Mr Hichilema. One such attack in Isoka saw a mob of over 30 PF members assault the studios of Iso FM with gas canisters, choking several station staff. 

The attacks were condemned by the Independent Broadcasting Association (IBA) as an assault on freedom of speech. 

These accusations have now been echoed in the UPND’s statement, which calls Monday’s attack and those that came before it an “indictment and infringement on the fundamental rights and freedoms of HH as a Zambian which in turn curtails his freedoms of expressions”. 

The UPND went on to question why the PF, while claiming to be popular amongst the Zambian people, felt the need to censor messages from opposition parties.

The statement concluded with a call to enact the Access to Information Bill. 

The incumbent PF government has been routinely criticised for restricting freedom of speech and freedom of information in recent months. In April, the independent broadcaster Prime TV had its broadcasting licence removed by the IBA in a decision that many suspect originated in State House after a disagreement between the TV network and Information Minister Dora Siliya over the free dissemination of Covid-19 information.