Lusaka - Journalists from Zambia's embattled Post newspaper evacuated their premises on Wednesday after hearing that supporters of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party planned to attack the paper.
They set up an “open-air” newsroom at the Catholic Cathedral of the Child Jesus, outside the office of the Archbishop of Lusaka.
As they were leaving the newspaper premises, busloads of PF supporters were arriving, one of the journalists said. The journalist, who did not want to be named, added that police were not interested in protecting the newspaper.
“And at midnight yesterday [Tuesday], 15 heavily armed policemen and five army officers raided the house of our IT manager, who lives near our offices, to search for 'illegal goods',” the reporter said.
“But one of the officers present there disclosed that they had been sent to look for today's [Wednesday’s] edition of The Post because they were told that Andrew's house was being used as a distribution centre. But they found nothing.
“This intimidation will continue on us, but we will not yield,” the journalist added.
The Post has angered the government of President Edgar Lungu with its sharp criticism. Recently, editor Fred M'membe was arrested and charged with tax evasion which he dismissed as being politically motivated.
When the PF supporters arrived at The Post's offices and found them deserted, they left, the journalist said.
African News Agency