NMDC strikes a blow for media freedom

THE Namibia Democratic Movement for Change says Namibia is not a jungle without laws.

NMDC Secretary General Joseph Kauandenge said in a statement yesterday that the ruling Swapo Youth League’s attempts to stifle the media cannot be condoned. The Youth League has called for the removal of some NBC senior personnel after disciplinary measures against a radio presenter who tried to control freedom of expression by not allowing listeners to air their party-political views for a day.The youth wing insisted that the head of radio, Umbi Karuaihe-Upi, withdraw the letter of reprimand given to the radio presenter and to apologise to him.They also want her to be “disciplined for this unpatriotic action”.On Wednesday last week, radio presenter Tebs Xulu caused a public outcry when he announced that callers to the popular ‘Chat Show’ programme would not be allowed to discuss issues concerning either Swapo or the newly established RDP.The restriction, he said, would apply for the rest of last week.The move was criticised by the Namibian chapter of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (Misa), labelling it a bid to control or censor the flow of information in the public domain.Kauandenge said they supported the decision taken by NBC management.He said Xulu had overstepped his boundaries by trying to dictate what Namibians must say on the radio.”We are not in a jungle where there are no laws,” he said.Swapo has also called on the Government to establish a media council as a way to control journalists, a move which also came under heavy criticism from the Namibia Editors’ Forum.The Youth League has called for the removal of some NBC senior personnel after disciplinary measures against a radio presenter who tried to control freedom of expression by not allowing listeners to air their party-political views for a day.The youth wing insisted that the head of radio, Umbi Karuaihe-Upi, withdraw the letter of reprimand given to the radio presenter and to apologise to him. They also want her to be “disciplined for this unpatriotic action”.On Wednesday last week, radio presenter Tebs Xulu caused a public outcry when he announced that callers to the popular ‘Chat Show’ programme would not be allowed to discuss issues concerning either Swapo or the newly established RDP.The restriction, he said, would apply for the rest of last week.The move was criticised by the Namibian chapter of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (Misa), labelling it a bid to control or censor the flow of information in the public domain.Kauandenge said they supported the decision taken by NBC management.He said Xulu had overstepped his boundaries by trying to dictate what Namibians must say on the radio.”We are not in a jungle where there are no laws,” he said.Swapo has also called on the Government to establish a media council as a way to control journalists, a move which also came under heavy criticism from the Namibia Editors’ Forum.