Maravi

UNIP officials harass Post journalists

UNIP officials harass Post journalists
By Staff Reporters
Wednesday February 27, 2008 [03:00]

UNIP Lusaka district officials on Monday harassed Post journalists Lambwe Kachali and Angela Ntentabunga as they covered the violence that erupted between cadres and their leaders at the party headquarters. This happened at about 13:40 hours when Kachali and photojournalist Ntentabunga rushed to cover the violence at UNIP headquarters along Sheki Sheki Road in Lusaka.

As Kachali asked UNIP Lusaka province treasurer Judith Mutebi on the cause of the violence, she responded that it was ridiculous for The Post to only be covering the party when there was violence.

Mutebi accused The Post of conniving with MMD to discredit UNIP by not giving it extensive coverage like other political parties.

“And in fact you The Post, who asked you to come here? You people are very biased. We don't need your presence here. Can you go just now before you are killed?" Mutebi said.

Wielding a plank in her right hand, Mutebi squeezed Kachali’s neck with her left hand and threatened to kill him if he did not leave the premises.

Mutebi became even more incensed when Ntentabunga took a picture of the rampaging cadres shouting anti-UNIP leadership slogans as another party official, Beatrice Kayuni who is national secretary for women affairs manhandled Ntentabunga before grabbing her camera.

"You are very stupid idiots with no morals. How can you get pictures of us? You! The Post are very stupid. We don't need your coverage. Whenever we invite you to cover us, you don't want to come but now because there is violence, you are the first ones to come. We will kill you here. You are wishing UNIP doom," Mutebi said after letting go of Kachali.

Mutebi hid the camera in one of the offices and demanded that the pictures be erased from the camera.

Kachali tried to explain the situation to a police officer, Constable Mtendere Ngulube, who was on scene but Mutebi blocked him. She said UNIP did not want The Post coverage and that it was at reporters' risk to enter UNIP premises.

"I can tell you officer that we are ready to kill them. I can kill these reporters myself and I am ready for arrest," Mutebi said.

Ngulube ordered UNIP officials to release the camera and Mutebi and Kayuni erased all the pictures taken, saying UNIP regarded The Post as its greatest enemy.

The two journalists were only rescued by police who escorted them to The Post offices in Rhodes Park.

UNIP deputy secretary general Reverend Alfred Banda when contacted for a comment said some hired cadres broke equipment at their offices. He said the cadres did not belong to UNIP.

And police said the ringleaders had been picked up while investigations were going on to establish people behind the violence.

But reliable UNIP sources revealed that the cadres belonged to a group of UNIP members who campaigned for Hasty Mwachilele, the party’s candidate in the just-ended Kanyama parliamentary by-election. The source said the cadres were promised money after elections but the promise had not been fulfilled.

The source also said that UNIP members were not happy with the leadership of their president Tilyenji Kaunda.

"People are calling for a convention to elect another president. Tilyenji has failed to run UNIP and he is refusing to hold that convention for that matter. So bickering in the party will not end until Tilyenji leaves the presidency," said the source.

Labels: THE POST, UNIP

posted by MrK @ 6:07 AM