Chitala threatens journalists at Daily Mail
Chitala threatens journalists at Daily MailBy Agness Changala and Mwala Kalaluka
Monday September 01, 2008 [04:00]
THE Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has demanded an apology from former Zambia's ambassador to Libya Mbita Chitala for threatening that some Zambia Daily Mail employees risk being sacked for not publishing his articles. But Chitala yesterday said the assertion of threats was a falsehood that did not deserve any apology from him.
In a press statement yesterday, ZUJ general secretary Nigel Mulenga explained that on Saturday Chitala, who said he was in Vice-President Rupiah Banda's campaign team for the MMD presidency, visited the newspaper's office in Lusaka in the afternoon demanding to know why stories he gave them were not published.
"Even after an explanation, Chitala warned reporters and editors that they risked being sacked because this was a matter of life and death," Mulenga stated.
He further stated that ZUJ refused to believe that Chitala had Vice-President Banda's blessings in his issuance of threats as he claimed because they had known the Vice-President as a man of integrity.
"We have respect for all politicians and we are aware that a legacy of abiding by the rule of law has been set by government," Mulenga stated. "However, we will not allow our respect for politicians or indeed any citizen of this country to be mistaken for a weakness."
Mulenga also stated that as journalists, they endeavoured to cover everyone equally irrespective of political inclination, adding that it was not Chitala to tell them who to cover, as they did not exist to please anyone. He warned that if Chitala wanted to go back to the era of threats, he must rest assured that he would reap what he was sowing.
He further stated that Chitala should not intimidate journalists and that if there was any loser to come out of this, it certainly would not be ZUJ.
"Chitala's explanation that the threats were as a result of 'pressure' will not be accepted. The era of threats is long gone and we demand an apology from him, failure to which ZUJ will take steps it deems fit to see this to its logical conclusion," stated Mulenga.
But Chitala said such allegations were expected and therefore did not come as a surprise to him following his recent decision to guide the nation on the person to succeed President Levy Mwanawasa.
"No, it is not true. I am not in government and I can't threaten anybody," Chitala said. "Secondly, anybody knows my track record. I am not into threatening people. I have no response to that issue, because it is false."
Chitala further described the allegation as an attempt to malign him.
"But this is expected. It is coming from forces that are not happy with what we are doing, on what I am providing guidance on," said Chitala.
Labels: DAILY MAIL, MBITA CHITALA, ZUJ
posted by MrK @ 4:03 PM
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