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MultiChoice Group Joins UN as Official African Media Supporter for Global COVID-19 Campaign

NAIROBI, Kenya July 8 – The MultiChoice Group has now joined the United Nations as the official Africa media supporter for the Global COVID-19 campaign.

The group said it has supported a number of initiatives in the fight against the spread of the pandemic which continues to wreak havoc across the globe.

Even though figures in Africa have not matched what was predicted when the virus started spreading in Asia, Europe and USA, nations in the continent have been hit by an economic meltdown.

While some nations chose not to effect any form of lockdowns, countries like Kenya imposed night curfews and cessation of movement in Nairobi, Mombasa and Mandera due to soaring positive cases.

By July 8, Kenya had recorded more than 8,000 cases with more than 170 fatalities, with a warning from the Ministry of Health for the worst times ahead. Kenya is projecting its infections peak from August to January, with authorities declaring that schools will remain closed until 2021. President Uhuru Kenyatta has lately eased restrictions and ordered the airspace open for international passenger flights from August 1.

Early in the spread of the pandemic that broke out in the country in mid-March, Multichoice Group harnessed the power of its platforms to ensure that its subscribers across the continent were given access to credible and accurate information. As part of its ongoing efforts to raise awareness through information, the Group has come on board as an official supporter of the United Nations’ global COVID-19 awareness campaign Pause which launched globally on 30 June.

The aim of the Pause campaign is to highlight the dangers of sharing false information related to COVID-19. The campaign asks everyone to pause, think and take care before sharing information which could be inaccurate or misinformed and may have harmful effects.

“We are in a moment of global reckoning as COVID-19 and its social and economic consequences challenge the world in unprecedented ways. Misinformation, hate speech and fake news are fueling and distorting all of these challenges and eroding the truth. We are very excited to have MultiChoice onboard as a supporter giving the launch of our campaign reach across Africa. They are uniquely positioned to deliver this important message to their diverse audiences across the continent” said Robert Skinner Senior Adviser for Global Communications at the United Nations.

Robert Skinner is a Senior Adviser for Global Communications at the United Nations.

MultiChoice Group Executive Chairman Imtiaz Patel said, “The dissemination of credible information has become critical to fighting this epidemic which continues to impact millions across the globe and our continent. We are therefore honoured to be able to utilise the continental reach of our broadcast and digital platforms across Africa to empower people with vital information.”

MultiChoice, he said, continues to seek opportunities to use its platforms to combat the spread of COVID-19. Supporting initiatives such as the Pause campaign and airing educational and news related content aligns to the organisation’s commitment to making an impact in the communities where it operates.

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The campaign launched globally on June 30 with critical information broadcast across Africa through the DStv and GOtv on air and digital platforms, SuperSport and M-Net properties and Showmax.

The campaign encourages the public to support the cause and pledge not to share inaccurate information at www.shareverified.com

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