Maravi

East UNIP leader condemns harassment of journalists

East UNIP leader condemns harassment of journalists
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Friday, May 15, 2009 2:22:16 PM

EASTERN Province UNIP chairperson Ahmed Randera has said the country is reverting to the old days of lack of freedom of speech if The Post is hated by certain political parties for writing the truth. And Randera has urged the government to screen investors that come into Zambia. In an interview last Wednesday, Randera said beating journalists was tantamount to suppressing the truth.

"As a party UNIP we are getting very concerned in Eastern Province over the issue of our pressmen and some party officials are getting beaten up by MMD cadres throughout the country. Now I believe that if The Post doesn't get support from certain political parties because of writing the truth, then it means that we are going back to the age of no freedom of speech and going back to the days of no corrections being done by the government of the day," Randera said.

"I believe that people must feel free to express themselves. What is it that the government of the day is doing on the daily basis? So the journalists have the duty to perform but when I say this I’m not saying by personalising issues."

He said there was need for the government to be transparent about its dealings.

"I think when you talk about transparency others don't enjoy this transparency and accountability because they want to take shortcuts. I think it's a right for anybody to talk about transparency in the country. They should discuss ...what the government of the day is performing, the answer is not in beating up journalists and members of the opposition," Randera said.

He urged the government to accept its mistakes instead of harassing its critics.

"When our forefathers fought for our independence they didn't say that only presidents, ministers and civil servants must enjoy the privilege of the independence they were fighting for. Whether it's education, medical, food, all that were part and parcel of the independence we are talking about. It was not meant for a few. It was meant for the whole of Zambia. So please let's stop beating up journalists because of showing transparency in this country. They are the eyes of our nation. I’m asking the government of the day to stop beating up people for nothing because this country is not for one party, whether in government or opposition," he said.

And Randera said the investors that come to Zambia needed to be screened because most of them were offering the people a raw deal.

"The issue is that the farmers are getting slave payments for their produce. So I’m urging the government that let's put up a policy that anybody who comes to invest in this country starting with Zambian companies to come up with industries. Like in Eastern Province, they can come up with a tobacco factory," Randera said.

He urged the government to announce the crop floor prices as early as possible to protect farmers from exploitative buyers.

"Government has the responsibility to announce the prices on time so that people know how much their maize is going to fetch. But up to now the price of maize is not known," he said.

Randera urged the government to put up a good marketing system so that peasant farmers could have something to survive on.

Labels: AHMED RANDERA, CADRES, MMD, PRESS FREEDOM, UNIP

posted by MrK @ 1:24 PM