Don’t provide platform for inciting violence, Lusaka Mayor urges media

Lusaka City Mayor Daniel Chisenga has challenged media institutions in Zambia to focus on informing and educating the public on matters that enhance development.

Mr. Chisenga said media institutions should desist from giving platforms to members of society that incite violence and insult the President in the name of freedom of speech.

He was speaking in Lusaka today when he toured Power FM Radio Station which is aiming at promoting culture, arts and tourism.

Mr. Chisenga said the opening of Power FM in Lusaka this year was an achievement to the local council which is seeking to increase information dissemination to the public.

He said government has demonstrated through this year’s youth day celebration theme “opportunity for youth through enterprise” that it was ready to support initiatives and provide an enabling environment for the media to operate.

He said the coming of Power FM on the media scene provides the Lusaka City Council with an opportunity to explore possibilities of partnering with the radio station in communicating to various stakeholders on development initiatives that the council is undertaking.

And Power FM Chief Executive Officer Kenny Tonga has commended the Patriotic Front government for granting his station a permit to transmit in Lusaka and surrounding areas.

Mr. Tonga said Power FM applied for a broadcast licence in 2009 but only managed to get it in February this year.

He said since the Patriotic Front government assumed office 17 months ago, youth entrepreneurial initiatives were being attended to faster than before adding that this was a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to delivering on its promises.

He observed that Power FM was planning to provide a different dimension of media operation by creating a more professional avenue focused on developmental initiates for the tourism sector.

Mr. Tonga said his station has since created 20 direct jobs for the youths and was ready to work with government in ensuring that development messages reach the public in time.

He said with the hosting of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) conference, the radio station would encourage domestic tourists to visit some of the spectacular sites of Zambia.

He observed that it was the duty of the media to raise the profile of Zambia’s tourism sector during and after the conference.

Mr. Tonga said tourism was one sector that had great potential to create jobs and improve the economy of the country if it was well exploited.