THE Zambian government has shut down Radio Phoenix, a leading privately owned station, Information Minister Vernon Mwaanga announced on Sunday. Mwaanga was quoted by state radio as saying that the government has suspended the broadcasting licence of Radio Phoenix because the station failed to renew its licence in accordance with Zambian law. Radio Phoenix, Zambia’s biggest private radio station with a wide coverage and seen as a major competitor of the state-run ZNBC radio, was closed down Sunday by a team of government officers. Radio Phoenix has in the past been threatened with closure by government and ruling party officials who accused it of broadcasting opposition propaganda. – AFP
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