Media Challenged on Product Safety


Journalists Urged to Produce Clear, Impactful Stories

By Francis Maingaila 
Lusaka, Zambia24,  (December 28, 2025) - 
The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has challenged journalists to simplify reporting on product safety and quality, warning that weak media coverage could put consumers’ health and safety at risk.

In a statement issued by ZCSA Manager for Communications and Public Relations Brian Hatyoka, Executive Director Gerald Chizinga said journalists are critical partners in ensuring consumers make informed choices and avoid unsafe products. 

He spoke while officially opening the 3rd ZCSA Media Awards Adjudication Committee meeting in Lusaka.

“Product safety and quality may seem technical, but they affect the daily lives of every Zambian. Unsafe products—ranging from food and beverages to solar equipment and household electrical appliances—can endanger lives and harm the environment if not properly regulated,” Mr Chizinga said, according to the statement.

The statement said Mr Chizinga emphasized ZCSA’s statutory mandate under the Compulsory Standards Act, which covers 102 locally manufactured and imported products.


These include food and beverages, solar and electrical products, chemicals, construction and packaging materials, petroleum products, fertilizer, used vehicles, fuel, and textiles.

He highlighted the role of the media in translating technical standards into accessible information for consumers and said ZCSA has been training journalists, including those reporting in local languages, to improve awareness and coverage of product safety issues.

Mr Chizinga also noted that the 2025 Media Awards received 47 entries—the highest since the awards’ inception—reflecting growing engagement with ZCSA’s communications initiatives. 

He urged adjudicators to evaluate entries objectively and recognize journalism that protects the public and drives accountability.


Adjudication Committee Chairperson Henry Kabwe, quoted in the statement, said journalists must go beyond routine reporting and produce stories that educate and influence behavior. 

“If consumers are unaware of the safety and quality of products they use, their health and safety are at risk. Stories should go beyond ‘he said, she said’ reporting to create real societal impact,” he said.

The statement further revealed that media coverage has been uneven, with used undergarments and solar products receiving the most attention, while cooking oil, tomato products, condoms, hair creams, and tyres received minimal coverage.

ZCSA reaffirmed that its mandate is to regulate standards, safeguard consumers, and protect public health and the environment—and that the media is a key partner in achieving this goal.



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