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Dora, Rupiah picture causes problems (More pictures available)

Dora, Rupiah picture causes problems (More pictures available)
Written by Joan Chirwa
Friday, May 22, 2009 2:44:34 PM

CHIEF government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has accused The Post newspaper of superimposing images in yesterday’s front page picture where former communications minister Dora Siliya sat close to President Rupiah Banda at the just-ended

Zambia International Business Advisory Council (ZIBAC) meeting in Livingstone. But Post photojournalist Eddie Mwanaleza, who took the picture, said there was no way the images could have been superimposed.

Shikapwasha yesterday claimed in a letter addressed to Post Newspapers managing director and editor-in-chief Fred M’membe that the sitting arrangement portrayed to the public in relation to the ZIBAC meeting in Livingstone on Wednesday had a motive behind it.

“I wish to bring to your attention government’s displeasure and exception at your newspaper’s use of a picture on the front page of your Thursday, 21st May, 2009 edition, of His Excellency the President in a deceptive manner. The picture is out of malicious motive because it does not portray the true situation,” Shikapwasha stated. “While we may appreciate what technology has brought to both you in the media and other people, it would be wrong to abuse it just to satisfy personal agendas.

Anybody or any photographer who was at that meeting would attest that your picture is just computer generated whereby the President is superimposed on a position he never took at the meeting, which is that of sitting next to former Minister of Communications and Transport, Ms Dora Siliya. One wonders what your motive was in generating such a picture.”

Shikapwasha stated that the government therefore demanded a reprint of the correct picture and an apology over the alleged use of an engineered picture.


But Mwanaleza challenged Shikapwasha to explain the sitting arrangement at the conference and in what capacity
Siliya attended the meeting since she sat in the row of permanent secretaries.

“Nothing was doctored in that picture. We look for what is news, and it was news for me when I saw Dora sitting near the President where permanent secretaries were. So here you have a former minister of transport sitting in the row of permanent secretaries,” said Mwanaleza. “Shikapwasha should explain in what capacity Dora attended the high-level conference for investors.”

Labels: DORA SILIYA, EDDIE MWANALEZA, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA, RUPIAH BANDA, THE POST

posted by MrK @ 1:47 PM