UNIP apologies for its violent bahaviour

UNIP apologies for its violent bahaviour
By Speedwell Mupuchi, Lambwe Kachali and Christopher Miti
Thursday February 28, 2008 [03:00]

UNIP national women secretary Beatrice Kayuni yesterday apologised for harassing Post reporters, Lambwe Kachali and Angela Ntentabunga, on Monday. And UNIP spokesperson Reverend Alfred Banda said The Post was not their enemy. Meanwhile, Lusaka Province political secretary Exildah Chisenga and district secretary for women affairs Elizabeth Zimba apologised to The Post for the harassment of the journalists.

“We don’t intend to insult any Post reporter. If that happened, let me apologise. We are very sorry of what happened, forgive us,” Kayuni said. “It is portraying a bad picture on us. We don’t intend to extend such words to reporters. If we uttered bad words we want say that we are sorry.”

And Rev Banda, flanked by Kayuni, Judith Mutebi and UNIP losing candidate in the just ended Kanyama by-election Hasty Mwachilele, said it was not in the interest of his party to harass reporters from any media because they were partners in governance.

“Post is not our enemy, we can’t do without The Post, it’s a tool we rely on to disseminate information with regard to our party,” Rev Banda said.

He said the people who caused problems were hired thugs and police have since arrested them and charged them with malicious damage to property. He said the thugs broke doors to the party offices.

But Chisenga and Zimba explained that the cadres turned violent when UNIP leaders did not want to meet them when they went to deliver resolutions of some party members who met in Kabwe.

“We went to Sheki Sheki in a group of party cadres to deliver the message to the self-styled leaders that their leadership has failed us, we have been calling for congress since 2000 but nothing has come out,” Chisenga said.

“Our intention of going to Sheki Sheki headquarters was to give them the very good message that we had but they refused and locked themselves up in offices. This angered cadres who started hitting the door wanting them to be removed from the office.

The so-called vice-president Njekwa Anamela called the police and gave them false statement that we have been raided by bandits armed with pangas, axes, even guns. Police rushed to the scene armed with guns ready to shoot and this forced cadres to scamper but I told them (police) to hold their fire and talk to me.

“I told them that these are not bandits but cadres but Mr Njekwa told the officers to enter the office and asked me to go out but I refused. I told them that cadres came to deliver a message.”

Chisenga charged that the current UNIP leadership was running the party like animal farm.

“These leaders want to reap where they did not sow. Tilyenji, Njekwa, we don’t want them in office. We are giving them 90 days to call for congress where we will elect new leaders,” said Chisenga.
She also said the law must take its course on those who harassed journalists.

Meanwhile, MISA Zambia chapter chairperson Henry Kabwe said UNIP was burying itself. Kabwe said harassing journalists in such crude manner as the UNIP officials did was taking the country back.

Kabwe said it was unthinkable and unreasonable for the media to continue working under threats.

He said what UNIP had committed was an unforgivable offence which needed to be followed up so that perpetrators were brought to book.

Kabwe said The Post was doing a recommendable work in promoting good governance and the fight against corruption.