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The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has condemned the decision by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) to suspend the broadcasting license of Prime TV for 30 days.
In a statement, ZCTU Secretary General Cosmas Mukuka has since appealed to the IBA to seriously consider reversing this action and lift the suspension for the sake of the workers and democracy.
Mr Mukuka says the reasons spelt out by IBA as grounds for the suspension sound more of a professional nature than anything, stating that the heavy punishment handed on Prime TV is unfair.
He says ZCTU would have expected IBA to professionally engage Prime TV on the contentious issues to save the welfare of workers employed by the station.
Mr Mukuka says the punitive action by IBA is in direct contrast to the PF government pro-poor policies, adding that this action is likely to make government unpopular among the people because workers at Prime TV have families and relatives who are looking up to them for their livelihood.
Meanwhile the ZCTU has expressed concern at the delay by government to pay February salaries to various public sector workers.
Mr Mukuka says this trend is unacceptable and can have negative effect on the motivation of the workers.
He says delaying salaries to workers can be stressful to workers affected and that the unions fears that if workers are subjected to such delays, their attitude towards work will be affected.
The ZCTU Secretary General has reminded government that delays in paying workers their salaries whenever they fall due is against the law and a gross violation of the workers’ rights.
Mr Mukuka has also expressed concern over the non-payment of salaries to workers under ZAMPOST who have gone for months without receiving their salaries.
And Action Aid Zambia has demanded the immediate lifting of the suspension of Prime Television’s broadcast licence.
In a statement, Action Aid Zambia Country Director Nalucha Ziba says her organization is utterly shocked and deeply saddened by the Independent Broadcasting Authority’s decision to suspend the broadcast licence for Prime TV for 30 days.
Ms Ziba notes that the decision to suspend Prime TV’s licence follows several events involving the PF secretary general Mr Davies Mwila and the television’s staff, which later led to the former writing a complaint letter to the IBA against the media organisation.
She says whatever disagreements there could have been between IBA and Prime TV, the decision taken to suspend the station’s broadcast licence is extreme and against provisions of the Republican Constitution which guarantees freedom of the press and expression.
Ms Ziba states that Action Aid Zambia can clearly see that the decision taken on Prime TV is meant to gag the press and whip them into submission of the desires of the most powerful, a trend widely seen in totalitarian regimes.
She says the IBA should have used other channels to address whatever grievances they, or other stakeholders, may have had against Prime TV than resorting to extreme measures that only serve to worsen the country’s standing on the global scene.
She says Action Aid Zambia believes the IBA is more than capable to handle complaints against a media house in a manner that does not stifle the much-needed freedoms of the press.
Ms Ziba states that the IBA must make itself relevant by playing the role of promoting pluralism and professionalism in media than acting as a body that acts to victimise the institutions that it should protect.
She says a country that is intolerant to press freedom cannot be trusted by the investors or donors.