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Rupiah is very hostile to the truth – Sata

Rupiah is very hostile to the truth – Sata
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Thursday, April 02, 2009 3:49:36 PM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda is very hostile to the truth, Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata has observed. Commenting on President Banda's hostile reaction to Post reporter - Chibaula Silwamba - when he attempted to ask him questions on national issues following the presidential press aide's instructions that journalists should only ask questions on Zimbabwe and Madagascar, Sata said such were antics by the President to minimise public comments.

"In English they say that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones," said Sata in an interview. "Rupiah has realised that the four months he has been in State House, he has been very hostile to everybody and to the truth. So because of that he is trying to minimise public comment."

Sata said when President Banda went into State House he did not seriously think of what he was going to do and he ended up opening his mouth and started insulting everybody.

"Do not blame Rupiah Banda, blame his handlers; blame Dickson Jere because he was convinced that the President was not going to answer questions on Zambia," he said. "Blame the people who are handling Rupiah because they are the ones making him make all these boobs. Why should Dickson Jere censor before questions are asked?"

Asked if President Banda's hostile attitude towards private media journalists was in order for a national leader, Sata said he could not answer for President Banda.

"I cannot answer for him. He has burnt enough fingers and he wants to keep a few fingers for himself," he said.

When told that President Banda's outburst against Silwamba had come on the brink of a national indaba called by the government, Sata said there was nothing that the government would gain from the convocation because it was unconstitutional.

"What law is he using to call for an indaba? If there is no law, he just wants to see people stand up for him when he enters the hall," said Sata.

On Tuesday, President Banda told Silwamba that he would not go far in his career if he were like his bosses.

The incident occurred at the Lusaka International Airport on Tuesday when the President arrived from an extraordinary SADC summit in Swaziland.

After the President's address, his press aide Dickson Jere announced that President Banda would only answer questions on Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Following a question from a Times of Zambia reporter on the SADC resolution on Zimbabwe, President Banda said he did not want newspapers to start writing stories that he refused to answer their questions and Silwamba seeing that no one had raised their hand asked if he could pose a question on local issues.

At that point the head of state got upset and started rebuking him.

"No! You are fond of that and sometimes I have a lot of sympathy for young journalists because sometime I think that sometimes you try your best, you write what you see here and what you observe but that when it gets to your bosses, they distort it so that you can have the name Rupiah in it. But sometimes I begin to wonder whether people like you are not like them, I can assure you, you won't go very far in your career. Let us learn to do things in a proper manner and to respect each other. There is no need for you to...you have been told that we are going to discuss Zimbabwe. Aren't you interested in Madagascar or Zimbabwe? That we must go back to the same boring subjects, which is of interest to only one or two people? I am sure even your colleagues are not interested; they will never ask those questions," President Banda said.

Before he left Swaziland for Zambia, President Banda gave an interview to the Zambia News and Information Service (ZANIS) where he said the forthcoming national indaba - a local issue - was non-political.

Tuesday's incident is not the first time President Banda has personally curtailed a Post journalist from asking him questions during similar press briefings since he came into office.

Labels: RUPIAH BANDA, SATA

posted by MrK @ 2:50 PM