Maravi

Plot to arrest M’membe and Nchito is blackmail – Shamenda

Plot to arrest M’membe and Nchito is blackmail – Shamenda
Written by Patson Chilemba
Sunday, February 22, 2009 4:01:40 AM

FORMER ZCTU president Fackson Shamenda yesterday said the plot by the government to arrest Fred M'membe and Mutembo Nchito is tantamount to serious blackmail aimed at shifting public attention from Dora Siliya's corruption allegations. And MMD senior member Ludwig Sondashi said the government should accept criticism when it is not performing well.

Commenting on revelations that President Rupiah Banda's government was plotting to arrest Post editor M'membe and Zambian Airways chief executive officer Nchito, Shamenda asked the government not to sink so low as to start raising issues against the duo for exposing corruption.

"I hope it's not true. If it is, then it's very unfortunate. It is tantamount to serious blackmail because issues should be raised on merit. If Mutembo and M'membe have got a problem with the law, you don't bring up those issues just because they are exposing corruption, or they are trying to prosecute those who had broken the law," Shamenda said. "That is tantamount to blackmail because you are trying to shift attention from the issues at hand. It's like the best form of defence is attack. I don't think they should sink that low to start bringing about issues. If I'm in good books, then it is okay. Then when I criticise you, you should blackmail me. That is immoral."

Shamenda wondered why government only gathered the courage to talk about investigations into Zambian Airways when The Post started exposing scams involving communications and transport minister Dora Siliya.

He said the Zambian people will not allow the good work The Post has been doing in the country to die.

Shamenda said the good by The Post far outweighed the bad.

"Sometimes I feel you go to the extremes in terms of language but in society we need such institutions. On the overall you are doing a good job. During colonial days, there was investigative journalism where people were exposing information on the colonial government's plans against the people," Shamenda said.

"People used that to remove the colonial government. At the stage you have reached, whether M'membe is not there, there are groups of people who agree with his thinking. So if he is locked up, there are other people who might be more militant than him. What you colleagues have done is that you have built a very strong foundation."

And Sondashi said people should not rejoice in the persecutions against M'membe, Nchito and The Post because they were also candidates for President Banda's harassment.

"It might not just be The Post but other opponents like me," he said.

Sondashi said the plot to arrest political opponents should be condemned in the strongest terms.

He said the government wanted to shift attention and muzzle The Post from exposing corruption.

"Because they know that the Daily Mail and the Times of Zambia cannot do that," Sondashi said.

According to intelligence sources, M'membe's planned arrest was aimed at weakening The Post while Nchito's arrest would enable President Banda to derail the prosecution of former president Frederick Chiluba.

But information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha on Friday said Zambian Airways was being investigated as a follow-up to observations made by members of parliament concerning its financial relationship with the National Airports Corporation (NAC).

Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who is also chief government spokesperson, said there was absolutely no truth in the claim that President Banda or the government was plotting to silence M'membe and Nchito.

He said what the investigative agencies were doing was one of their normal activities just as they had done in many other cases in the past.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the agencies comprised professional officers and were expected to act professionally in deciding what action to take at the end of the investigations.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said there was no need to panic on mere investigations because like any investigation, the principle of innocence until proved guilty would be observed to the letter.

Zambian Airways suspended operations due to high operational costs caused by the rise in fuel prices.

Labels: FACKSON SHAMENDA, FRED M'MEMBE, LUDWIG SONDASHI, MUTEMBO NCHITO, ZCTU

posted by MrK @ 4:02 AM