Maravi

GBM ready to defend himself

GBM ready to defend himself
By Namatama Mundia and Fridah Nkonde
Sun 21 Oct. 2012, 13:00 CAT

No one can beat me, I'm capable of retaliating and in a bigger way... DEFENCE minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba says he has the capacity to fight back in a 'bigger way'. His remarks come in the wake of reports that some PF cadres had planned to beat him up at the airport during President Michael Sata departure and arrival.

Mwamba has conspicuously been missing at the airport where
government officials, ministers and service chiefs line up to welcome or see off the President.

Mwamba in an interview yesterday said he would not be intimidated by anyone and was ready to defend himself.

"...(laughs) All what I can say is who can beat me? that's all madam. No I have no comment,...no one, no one can beat me. I am capable of retaliating and in bigger way. I have the capacity and ability to do that," said Mwamba.

Asked to comment on President Sata's observation on Friday upon arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport from South Korea when he asked justice minister Wynter Kabimba to debrief him on his differences with him, Mwamba said he was not available for any response.

"I am not available for any response my dear. So I think you can keep the 'push' cherry to yourself, thank you my dear bye-bye," he said.
Meanwhile, International Press Institute (IPI) executive director Alison Bethel Mckenzie has condemned the behaviour of Mwamba's supporters, who stormed The Post Newspaper offices in Kasama on Thursday .

"It is distressing to hear allegations that a minister's political supporters would respond to negative reports with violence," said McKenzie. "The minister in particular should take responsibility by publicly reprimanding such behaviour, and any other attempts to suppress the media."

She said threats of censorship or violence were never acceptable adding that the proper response would have been a letter of reply to the editor.
Mckenzie also stated that the ongoing discussions of alleged corruption by certain Zambian officials reinforced the need for parliament to pass a solid freedom of information law that was in line with international principles.

On Thursday, Mwamba's supporters stormed The Post newspapers offices and wanted to prevent the newspaper from being sold in Kasama while some of them wanted to confiscate copies and burn them.

Mwamba's supporters led by his 2011 campaign manager, Nathan Ilunga, displayed banners denouncing The Post and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chanting ; "No more Post' slogans and shouted at The Post employees, who were locked up in the offices, to tell their superiors that they should leave Mwamba alone.

The protestors, some of them drunk early in the morning, nearly turned violent but for quick action by police and the provincial administration.

And the Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has asked Mwamba to apologise on behalf of his supporters who stormed The Post Newspapers offices.

In an interview yesterday, ZUJ president Anthony Mulowa said it was unfortunate that in this time and era, people still failed to air their grievances in a more mature manner.

"Attempts by GBM's supporters to block the paper from being sold in Kasama is so unfortunate. It is also sad that some of GBM's supporters even wanted to confiscate copies and burn them. There are a lot of ways of protesting, not the manner in which it was done," he said.

Mulowa said the best way they could have aired their grievances was to seek an audience with The Post Newspaper and discuss issues, or even issue a statement.
He said violence was not the best way to air grievances, adding that if police were not at The Post Newspapers officers on time, people would have been beaten up and injured.

Mulowa said there was need for Mwamba to advise his supporters to desist from engaging in violent activities.

"As ZUJ, we condemn attempts by Geoffrey Mwamba's supporters to block the paper from being sold in Kasama in the strongest words possible. This should not be encouraged at all. People should always learn to protest maturely and in a civilised manner. We will not encourage people practicing the old type of politics in this time and era," he said.

Mulowa hoped that what happened in Kasama does not happen again anywhere.
Meanwhile, Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) president Andrew Sakala said it was unacceptable for cadres from the ruling party to behave the way they did in Kasama.

"There seems to be a problem in our country today because most political parties and politicians themselves always resort to violence whenever there was a misunderstanding. This should not be the case especially for members of the ruling party because they are the ones who need to lead by example," Sakala said.

He said there was need for political parties in Zambia to educate their members to try by all means to dialogue when dealing with public matters.

Labels: GBM

posted by MrK @ 3:44 PM