Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Matibini has directed Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya to render a ministerial statement explaining the editorial policy of the Times of Zambia newspaper on the use of languages other than English.

Dr Matibini was ruling on a point of order raised by leader of the Opposition Jack Mwiimbu who alleged that Times of Zambia newspaper had discriminated against him and other Zambians following the publication of an article in Chinese.

“I’m my immediate response I reserved my ruling to enable me investigate the matter and render a measured ruling. I have since studied the matter and I now proceed to render my ruling. The honourable member’s point of order raises the rolling issues; one, whether Chinese had become one of Zambia’s official languages since the Times of Zambia newspaper had published an article in Chinese. And two, alleged discrimination against the people of Zambia by the Times of Zambia newspaper publication of an article in Chinese when there has been no such publication in any local language of Zambia contrary to Article 23 of the Constitution of Zambia. Honourable Members, I wish to confirm from the outset that, the Times of Zambia did in fact publish an article entitled and I quote again: ‘SADC mutes DRC peace’ in its edition number 18197 dated 9th October, 2018. The article was the headline on the front page and was repeated in Chinese on the second page of the newspaper. Having given the background, let me now address the issues raised in the point of order,” said Dr Matibini.

“One, whether Chinese had become one of Zambia’s official languages since the Times of Zambia newspaper had published an article in Chinese. Honourable members; investigations by my office revealed that the Times of Zambia newspaper is published by Times Print Pack Zambia Limited, which is owned by the government through the Industrial Development Corporation and, therefore, publicly-funded. In this regard, the newspaper is superintended by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Honourable member, indeed, as indicated by honourable Mwiimbu MP, the official language of Zambia is English. And this is provided for in Article L258 (1) of the Constitution of Zambia, which stated and I quote, ‘the official language in Zambia is English.’ End of quote. Honourable members, the constitutional provision, confirms that English is the official language of Zambia. Therefore, in light of this constitutional provision, I direct Honourable Minister of Information and Broadcasting to render a Ministerial statement on Tuesday 6 November, 2018, outlining the editorial policy of the Times of Zambia newspaper on the use of languages other than English. Two, alleged discrimination against the people of Zambia by the Times of Zambia newspapers publication of an article in Chinese when there has been no such publication in any local language of Zambians contrary to Article 23 of the Constitution of Zambia.”