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FEAR GRIPS REGION FOLLOWING GRUESOME MURDER OF STATE OFFICIAL

TANZANIA: MURDER/DAILY NEWS/4/5/18 SABANews 1

RUKWA – Armed criminals have brutally killed a government official in an incident that has left residents of RUKWA Region in Western TANZANIA in great fear and shock.

The DAILY NEWS says the unknown assailants attacked MWADUI Ward Executive Officer BENEDICTO CHAPEWA early this week as he was drinking with others at his own bar.

It says the armed gang gunned down the late Mr CHAPEWA before mutilating his body with machetes.

The paper quotes RUKWA Regional Police Commander GEORGE KYANDO as saying the horrific and tragic incident has brought fear to residents in the ward, located along Lake RUKWA in SUMBAWANGA District.

He says the RUKWA Regional Crime Officer, only named as Mr N KITINKWI, and his team are working round the clock to search for the killers.

Commander KYANDO says the suspects vanished into the darkness after the crime, but without harming or robbing other patrons nor stealing money from the bar.

He says they could not establish if the suspects were either gangsters or robbers, because they simply shot Mr CHAPEWA and sliced him into pieces before the horrified patrons.

The TANZANIAN Police official says the murder has left both the law-enforcement agents and residents confused./Sabanews/cam

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NATION RISES HIGHER IN INTERNATIONAL MEDIA RANKING

SEYCHELLES: MEDIA/SNA/3/5/18 SABANews 1

VICTORIA – The FRENCH-based REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS organisation has placed SEYCHELLES on position 85 out of 180 countries in the 2018 World Press Freedom Day rankings.

The release of the rankings aims to mark the World Press Freedom Day on the THIRD of MAY, a date on which the global community celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom.

The SEYCHELLES News Agency, SNA, says the latest ranking shows the INDIAN Ocean island country has moved TWO places up from last year.

It quotes an official of the ASSOCIATION OF MEDIA PRACTITIONERS SEYCHELLES as saying the ranking shows the country has made some remarkable improvement in terms of free press and dissemination of information.

BARBARA COOPOOSAMY says progress has come in different forms like changes in the TWO key media houses, the SEYCHELLES Broadcasting Corporation, SBC, and the SEYCHELLES NATION, NISA.

She says a board set up for both entities has led to transformation in the composition and the way information is presented to the public, while other independent news outlets have also played a good role in improving the ranking.

However, SEYCHELLES Media Commission Chief Executive Officer IBRAHIM AFIF also says the ranking is showing progress; but he is not happy about it.

The REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS study says the size and remoteness of the 115-island archipelago in the western INDIAN Ocean limit advertising revenue and job opportunities for journalists.

It says as a result, the general interest media practise a degree of self-censorship in order to avoid endangering their earnings from advertising.

Mr AFIF says SEYCHELLES has no laws prohibiting access to and distribution of information.

His Commission is lobbying the State to decriminalise defamation laws to attract a better ranking in the future.

The REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS report says although SEYCHELLES has strict defamation laws, they have not been used for years – and there are few reports of abuses against journalists.

THREE EUROPEAN countries, NORWAY, SWEDEN and NETHERLANDS, are at the top of the Press Freedom Index; while GHANA, the top-ranking AFRICAN country, is 23RD and NORTH KOREA is at the bottom globally.

The yearly international survey covers about 180 countries and classifies the degree of freedom that journalists, news groups and internet users have in each country, and the efforts by authorities to respect the freedom./Sabanews/cam

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OMBUDSMAN CONDEMNS SUPPRESSION OF MEDIA FREEDOM

NAMIBIA: MEDIA/NBC/3/5/18 SABANews 1

Media Ombudsman, John Nakuta

WINDHOEK – The NAMIBIA Media Ombudsman has warned high-ranking officials against the misusing their powers to suppress media freedom and access to information.

JOHN NAKUTA says there has recently been a number of incidents where politicians and senior State officials attacked media houses and their workers.

He says such developments are some of the factors that contributed to the downgrading of the country on the global press freedom rankings.

Mr NAKUTA’s remarks come after the REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS organisation removed NAMIBIA from position ONE to position TWO on its latest World Press Freedom Index; which means the country has lost its position to GHANA.

He gives as examples the pending case between the NAMIBIA Central Intelligence Agency against the PATRIOT newspaper and the clash between the SWAPO Secretary General and a journalist from the NAMIBIAN newspaper.

Mr NAKUTA says there is need for the speedy implementation of the access to Information Bill.

He has made the remarks during an exclusive interview with NBC News on the World Press Freedom day today (THURSDAY).

The UNITED NATIONS General Assembly proclaimed World Press Freedom Day in DECEMBER 1993, following a recommendation by the UNESCO General Conference.

Since then, the THIRD of MAY, which is the anniversary of the WINDHOEK Declaration, is celebrated as World Press Freedom Day.

AFRICAN newspaper journalists came up with the WINDHOEK Declaration as a statement of press freedom principles at a UNESCO seminar held in MAY 1991 in the NAMIBIAN capital./Sabanews/cam

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MINISTER CALLS ON LABOUR GROUPS TO ENGAGE STATE FREELY

ZAMBIA: LABOUR/ZNBC/2/5/18 SABANews 1

LUSAKA – Home Affairs Minister STEPHEN KAMPYONGO of ZAMBIA has called on labour movements to engage the government freely to help address challenges in the security sector.

He says union leaders should also engage the State on some of the issues affecting the men and women in uniform, because they do not belong to any group and have no one to speak for them.

ZNBC News says Minister KAMPYONGO has addressed a gathering to mark the International Workers’ Day at SAINT EDMUNDS Grounds in MAZABUKA.

It quotes him as saying trade unions are well aware of challenges the uniformed personnel go through.

The national broadcaster says Energy Minster MATTHEW NKUWA has also addressed people for the same occasion Labour Day celebrations in CHILANGA District.

It quotes him as saying the State will continue to enhance partnerships in the labour market to attract more investments.

He says such ties have the potential to attract businesses into the country, in its quest for economic growth.

CHILANGA District Commissioner EDITH MUWANA says her area has continued to witness remarkable strides in building development partnerships.

ZAMBIA has held its 2018 International Workers’ Day under the theme: Building Partnership for Sustainable National Development through Decent Job Creation and Social Justice./Sabanews/cam

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PRESIDENT CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF WORKERS

ZIMBABWE: LABOUR/THE HERALD/2/5/18 SABANews 1

HARARE – The government of ZIMBABWE has pledged commitment to create a safe and suitable environment for workers in the SADC country.

President EMMERSON MNANGAGWA has published a statement on his Facebook page to mark International Workers’ Day.

He says his administration has come up with a number of reforms to the labour law because the authorities realise workers need protection as the backbone of the economy.

President MNANGAGWA describes Workers’ Day as a chance to pay tribute to employed ZIMBABWEANS and honour their work that makes the nation far much richer.

He says when his declaration of ZIMBABWE as being open for business aims to create more jobs, more opportunities, and to provide the people with the greatest possible chances of success.

President MNANGAGWA says the nation salutes workers on the FIRST of MAY, but it must promote, assist and protect them, everyday; as well as continue to create more jobs and more opportunities for all.

THE HERALD newspaper says the Tripartite Negotiating Forum of labour, business and the State has continued to review and align labour laws to the Constitution; to address challenges such as unfair dismissals.

It says some employers have violated labour rights but the new legal changes deal with issues like termination of contracts on notice, retrenchments, maternity leave, and disciplinary procedures.

The paper says the authorities expect the modifications will bring sanity on the labour market, while collective bargaining platforms have also been strengthened.

It says trade unions have held celebrations to commemorate the International Workers’ Day at different venues countrywide.

The ZIMBABWE FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS had its main event at ZIMPLATS BAOBAB Stadium in NGEZI, while ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS affiliates gathered at DZIVARESEKWA Stadium in HARARE.

However, the State-run publication has accused the opposition MDC-T Party of turning the Workers’ Day gathering into a political event allegedly to attack the ZIMBABWE Government./Sabanews/cam

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NAMIBIA: LABOUR/NBC/2/5/18 SABANews 1

WINDHOEK – President HAGE GEINGOB of NAMIBIA has bemoaned the continued poor lives of workers in his country.

He has issued a statement read by Agriculture, Water and Forestry Minister ALPHEUS !NARUSEB to mark the International Workers’ Day in the KHORIXAS Town of KUNENE Region.

President GEINGOB says the national goals to have shared prosperity and improved welfares of employees remain elusive, despite progress made in the area of labour rights.

He says the situation results from basic structural obstacles that make it difficult for many NAMIBIANS to take part meaningfully in the economy.

President GEINGOB also says NAMIBIANS should avoid corruption, political fights, and divisive attitudes, because such behaviours only leave many people at the grassroots suffering.

The Head of State says on the other hand, all workers should carry on striving for economic freedom.

Meanwhile, NATIONAL UNION OF NAMIBIAN WORKERS Acting President ALBUIS LISWANISO says workers and employers need to work towards achieving national developmental goals.

NBC News also quotes NAMIBIA EMPLOYERS’ FEDERATION Secretary General TIM PARKHOUSE as saying the private sector is looking into a variety of schemes to create more jobs.

Furthermore, he says his organisation and the NAMIBIA TRAINING AUTHORITY are working on ways to introduce apprenticeship schemes.

The SADC country marked Workers’ Day under the theme: NAMIBIAN WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS UNITE FOR ECONOMIC UPLIFTMENT.

The International Workers’ Day, also known as Labour Day or simply Workers’ Day, and often called MAY Day, is a yearly celebration of the working classes globally./Sabanews/cam