High Commisioner Nyirongo reprimands UNAM lecturer for circulating Sat
High Commisioner Nyirongo reprimands UNAM lecturer for circulating SatBy Bivan Saluseki
Wednesday October 31, 2007 [03:00]
ZAMBIA’S High Commissioner to Namibia Griffin Nyirongo has reprimanded University of Namibia (UNAM) lecturer Kazhila Chinsembu for circulating PF leader Michael Sata's speech at Harvard University in the United States to a mailing list of Zambians living in Namibia.
Chinsembu, who is secretary of Association of Zambians in Namibia (AZANA), yesterday confirmed that High Commissioner Nyirongo had reprimanded him over Sata's speech while his wife had received a text message from an anonymous person that she would have her front teeth knocked out.
Chinsembu, who is a lecturer in the Department of Biology at UNAM and former University of Zambia lecturer, said he had been reprimanded by High Commissioner Nyirongo who asked him not to circulate Sata's political message to others in Namibia.
"He said we could only talk about things which don't concern politics," said Chinsembu.
He said he had since received anonymous calls from some people threatening him and his wife.
He said his wife had received a text message asking her how she would feel if she had three of her front teeth knocked out.
High Commissioner Nyirongo could not be contacted for comment because he was reported to be at Parliament where South African President Thabo Mbeki was giving an address.
According to an email message from High Commissioner Nyirongo dated October 27, 2007 to Chinsembu, AZANA list was not for political discourse.
"You will recall that Professor Kasanda did write, sometime ago, to all that the AZANA circulation list is not for political discourse. It is an information circulation list on events affecting the Zambian community in Namibia," he stated.
"It is therefore surprising that you chose to ignore the earlier advice to which you agreed to. Let us refrain from using AZANA for political purposes as we respect the different political positions that hold in a democratic dispensation."
High Commissioner Nyirongo said Sata's speech was of political nature and therefore did not merit circulation on the mailing list.
But Chinsembu on October 29 wrote back stating that High Commissioner Nyirongo's email meant that the mailing list was for AZANA, a 'non-political' organisation whose membership should not share 'political' information.
"Sir, I have read the AZANA constitution with all its old and new amendments. The current constitution does not stipulate that the Association is non-political. Neither does the constitution say AZANA members should be apolitical. There are no clauses in the current constitution that speak to the political orientation of AZANA and its membership," Chinsembu stated.
"Therefore, the current constitution does not stop the exchange of political information amongst members. The circulation of Mr Sata's paper was therefore done within the enjoyment of my constitutional rights as a member of AZANA."
Chinsembu said even assuming that the emailing list was for AZANA, the constitution did not have a clause stipulating what content should or should not be posted on that emailing list.
"Apart from universal norms that exclude the transmission of obscene material and classified documents, there are no 'terms of agreement' that guide the content for this emailing list.
Even if we assume that AZANA is a 'non-political' organisation, such an assumption does not curtail members from freely exchanging information regarding their motherland. Why should we not share information about our country on this mailing list, yet we have entrusted politicians to run the affairs of our country?" he asked.
"Your Excellency, information is an important resource for development. This is why those great men and women that wrote the AZANA constitution stated in Article 10(4)(c) as follows: 'to make available..newspapers and other audio-visual materials from Zambia'."
Chinsembu said the paper Sata presented at Harvard University was news in Zambia, and those that read Zambian newspapers would attest that that information was already in the public domain.
"In this digital information age, sharing Sata's full paper on the mailing list was in full accordance with Article 10(4)(c) of the AZANA constitution," he said.
Chinsembu said the sharing of information was critical to the reconstruction of Zambia.
"Again this is espoused in the constitution's preamble as follows: 'that we may by our actions enhance and expedite the reconstruction of our country'.
Exchange of information is also healthy as it keeps us in touch. Articles 2(e) and 10(4)(e) of the constitution also make reference to 'keep in touch' and to carry out any other activities aimed at ensuring regular interaction among Zambians, respectively," he said.
Chinsembu said in the spirit of such noble and selfless AZANA objectives, he would as a concerned member of AZANA continue to post on the emailing list any information that he felt helped them to better understand Zambia, and would not need to seek editorial approval from anybody.
Chinsembu said he was not a personal fan of Sata, and did not even belong to PF.
"But hate him or like him, Sata is a leader of a political party that enjoys power in Lusaka and the Copperbelt provinces of our country and anything he says forms an important element of his party's policies, which policies Zambians may be interested to read about at any forum, including the so-called AZANA mailing list," he said.
"So I am inspired by the many people that enjoyed reading Mr. Sata's presentation at Harvard University, one of the world's greatest citadels of knowledge.
I believe that anybody with information about our country should be encouraged to share such information with other countrypersons without the fear to make offence. I am aware that in a democratic society, not everybody will agree with everything. It is healthy to agree to disagree."
Chinsembu said diversity of opinions was the foundation of great nations.
"But we should not allow ourselves to be cowed down by political party extremists that have no regard for the political opinions of others," he said.
He said lack of access to information and ignorance of the masses were the tools that built dictatorships.
"Sir, I have never yielded to political correctness and do not intend to do that now. I will not yield to some self-appointed editors that want to censor what information should or should not be distributed to Zambians," Chinsembu stated.
"Of note is the unfortunate tendency by some individuals that hold public office to often want to hunt down those with opposing political opinions. In Zambia, history teaches us that holding high public office comes with the shifting sands of political fortunes."
Chinsembu stated that rights and freedoms had never rolled-in on the wheels of inevitability.
"This is why I guard the right to information. Let us learn to tolerate diversity of political opinions. If one has time to read the political views of others, let them read. Zambia needs ideas from everybody regardless of their political party," he said.
Chinsembu said the best idea was to have many ideas.
"Your Excellency, since your opinion on this matter reflects government policy, I will in future, and through the media inform other Zambians living outside the borders of Zambia of this new government policy," stated Chinsembu.
Labels: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL, FREEDOM OF SPEECH
posted by MrK @ 8:11 AM
9 Comments:
People have a right to hear Sata's speech from Harvard Univeristy, atleast for a change from the many wordless speeches and treason threat that Zambians always endure from our leaders whenever they land at airports!
By the way,Namibia enjoys right to information, hence do not enforce MMD candre mentality in a democratic society....Go Professor we salute you!!
Zambiand political cadres appointed to leadership have this thing about thwarting information flow to the public. We know dictatorships and bad govts survive by perpetuating mass ignorance. Whats the issue here. If his govt are going a good job they should have nothingto hide. This HC is bored and lazy! What a way to earn a living.
Ignorance is what is killing Africa. Lets discuss politics freely without being enemies. Trying to control flow of information is a very expensive venture because these days unlike the KK days information is everywhere
I guess I should also be reprimanded for circulating it on New Zambia!!
MrK I assume you are also circulating it ?
Zambians should be allowed to debate policy matters not censor them.
can someone please post the speach cause i have not read it myself
Sata speech
http://www.boursorama.com/forum/message.phtml?file=366302374&pageForum=1
Sata speech
http://www.boursorama.com/forum/message.phtml?file=366302374&pageForum=1
MrK, kindly send me an electronic copy of this same sata-speech coz its really rattled the govt cage. my email is mmwaekwa@yahoo.com
Mwaekwa
oops!!! my bad, got the link to the speech.
Mwaekwa
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