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Government says it did not bar any media organization from covering last Friday’s official opening of Parliament.
Chief government spokesman Joseph Katema says 129 media practitioners were accredited to cover the event by the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS).
Dr Katema, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said although 129 media practitioners were accredited, the logical arrangements of the official opening of Parliament were left to the National Assembly.
ZANIS reports that the Information and Broadcasting minister said this during a press briefing in Lusaka today.
He said government has progressively continued to build an environment where the media freely and responsibly collect and disseminate information to the public.
Dr Katema said government has sworn to protect the constitution, which is anchored on the protection of human rights and freedoms citizens with freedom of expression being among them.
He said in the same spirit of upholding the tenets of democracy, the Executive wing of government will not interfere in the work of the Judiciary and the Legislature.
Dr Katema said government’s commitment to freedom of expression is evidenced by government’s freeing of the airwaves through the operationalization of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Act which has led to 70 radios stations and 12 Television stations operating in the country.
