Propaganda, lies won’t do
Written by Editor
In our 18 years of existence, we have never negotiated even one principle to gain time or to obtain any other kind of practical advantage.
We think we are defending certain principles that are of tremendous value at a time of confusion and opportunism in our country, a time when many politicians are feathering their own nests, a time we might call the deification of political power. And we are the only remaining enemy that they are today attacking with all the fury.
We have a clear, precise idea of our role, and all those factors stimulate and encourage us in our work. That is the link between what we are doing and what we are ready to do, on the one hand, and the future, on the other. We think it will always be of great value.
Listening to Ronnie Shikapwasha giving a ministerial statement in Parliament on the violence against journalists, we were frightened by his lies, half-truths and cheap propaganda. We felt they were making enormous mistakes by unleashing a process that was self-destructive for themselves and for our country. If one starts a process in which all of a country’s values begin to be destroyed, that process is very negative.
We felt by permanently being wedded to lies, cheap propaganda and hatred for those who oppose them, they were destroying the authority of the state. And if one destroys the authority of the state, the consequences are terrible. It’s a matter not of the analysis or criticism of problems, but of the destruction and negation of all the values, merits and history of our country. They are making enormous mistakes by failing to see the consequences of what they are doing and by not doing the right thing to reach the goals and purposes they have proclaimed. Many of the strategic and tactical mistakes they are making are being viewed as the correct way of doing things. But soon, when all these negative tendencies will be unleashed, opportunistic elements will also be introduced and hell will break loose. Probably it has already even happened and it’s only that we are not able to see it clearly or we are being excessively modest in our assessment of things.
In the times in which we live, there is a science that is arrayed against truth: the science of propaganda, disinformation and lies, the science of calumny, in which these people, our adversaries take the prize.
Naturally, we are accustomed to this, to all their lies and cheap propaganda, and it just rolls off our backs, because we are used to their baseness. How can they survive if not with cheap propaganda? How can they survive without lies? How can they explain all the crimes they commit against their own people, if not with lies and calumny, trying to discredit those who expose and oppose them?
We are sure that the masses of our people will obey their instincts and not be swayed by the volume and intensity of that campaign they are waging against us and others who question their decisions and actions. We are not going to be demoralised by this kind of campaign; we are not going to change. We are going to keep on applying the same policy and maintain our system of striving for excellence in all that we do. What is important to us is having a clear conscience.
We are challenging them, absolutely convinced that the ideas we are defending will triumph in our country someday, that our people’s legitimate causes will always advance and triumph eventually.
It doesn’t shock us that a man who goes to Parliament to accuse us of publishing lies does so with lies himself. Shikapwasha yesterday told lies to Parliament that in our newspaper’s lead story of Wednesday, we told lies that Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Leslie Mbula and President Jacob Zuma’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya were not aware of Rupiah Banda’s visit to South Africa. Shikapwasha told Parliament that these were lies because we didn’t speak to him or Mbula. Our reporter spoke to Mbula and Magwenya and we have this recorded. It was not our opinions or desires that were reflected in that story. So where is the lie on our part? Clearly the lie is on Shikapwasha’s part; he is the one who has lied to Parliament. We have repeatedly stated that we do sometimes get things wrong, we do sometimes get facts wrong. And there is no newspaper or media organisation in the world that never gets anything wrong. But we always endeavour to accept our wrongs and accordingly apologise and make a correction.
As for the insults against Rupiah, this is just another lie. We have never insulted Rupiah. If calling Rupiah a liar is an insult, then there is a serious problem in this country. Rupiah tells lies. And he has lied about us. How can we fail to call him a liar? Rupiah has never apologised or tried to correct any lie he has told about us or any other person. And there are enough laws in our statute books to protect Rupiah from libel or defamation. If we have libeled or defamed Rupiah, let law enforcement agencies come and pick us up and accordingly prosecute us. This is what the rule of law demands. Unleashing cadres on us because they feel we have insulted their party leader is savagery, barbarism that will lead to nothing but anarchy in the nation. We say this is savagery and barbaric because the use of violence against anyone or any part of the community is something that puts those involved in it, those behind it, those who condone it, those who encourage it, those who think it is right like Shikapwasha and Rupiah next to animals. Violence and non-violence are mutually exclusive and those who resort to violence, harassment, vindictiveness can only do one thing, and that is to breed counter-violence and contempt for themselves. People who go out to beat, injure and kill those who question or oppose them, are no better than animals.
We are ready to sit down with anyone who comes in good faith and go through everything that we have published, every word that we have written and see if it can be justified or not. We have been in this business longer than Shikapwasha has been in politics or government. Our knowledge of this profession is far higher than the combined knowledge of Shikapwasha and his friends. And if things were left to them, the situation in our country for the media would be terrible. These are very intolerant characters who are enjoying the fruits or rewards of political processes they contributed very little to. And usually that’s how such people behave – they try to show excessive zeal in dealing with opponents.
As for the threat of enacting laws to regulate the media, we cannot be blackmailed. Let them go and do whatever they want to do. We have told them this many times. We are not scared of any regulation they will come up with. We know how to fight against what is unjust or unfair. We will fight using the same weapons we used against the one party state and other many injustices in our country. Shikapwasha or Rupiah were not factors in all this.
For us, constitutional rights do not need to be earned. And as we have stated before, we hold that the greatest right in this world is the right to be wrong, that in the exercise thereof, people have an inviolable right to express their unbridled thoughts on all topics and personalities, being liable only for the abuse of that right. The press freedom that we stand for and campaign for is one that should protect unpopular and even inaccurate speech. Press freedom is a farce if it means merely the freedom to report pleasant things.
And moreover, whatever laws they come up with, we know that they are targeted only against The Post. We say this because the privately owned media in this country is very small. Of the three daily newspapers, only one – The Post, is not under the control of Shikapwasha and his friends. So when they talk about regulating newspapers, who are they talking about, who do they want to regulate? It’s only The Post they are after. If The Post closed today, Shikapwasha and his friends will stop talking about regulation of the media because the Times of Zambia, Daily Mail and ZNBC are fully under their control and direction. It is only The Post they can’t tell what to do. And therefore The Post is the only newspaper they are seriously seeking to control and direct. But whatever laws they come up with, they will not achieve that. Getting us into their Media Ethics Council of Zambia will never happen. We believe in self-regulation and we practice it every day. And we also believe in voluntary membership to media councils. If it is joining a media council, we will do so voluntarily, not out of coercion. Moreover, our Constitution gives us the freedom of association. And this in itself means that if tomorrow we want to form a media council in co-operation with others, we can do so because there is nowhere in our laws where it is said only MECOZ can exist. Ours is a plural political system and that’s why we even have a proliferation of trade unions and churches grouping in the manner they desire. So let them go ahead and legislate and see what will happen!
We are very lucky that under the political leadership of the likes of Rupiah, of the Shikapwashas, we have a speaker, Amusaa Mwanamwambwa, who because of his journalism background understands issues of the media very well and he has provided some positive restraints. But he is alone and we will not be surprised one day to wake up and find vultures are having their day. Anyway, that’s how life is. Sometimes gigantic leaps have to be taken backwards before going forward – one step forward, two steps backward!
As for Shikapwasha’s attacks on the Catholic Church and the use of cheap propaganda using the Rwandan examples, we are equally not surprised. Shikapwasha is anti-Catholic. He is a Pentecostal church leader whose attitude towards others shows nothing Christian in him.
Shikapwasha’s understanding of religious matters is very low and as such, it’s very dangerous for him to try and pose as an authority on the Christian church, and the Catholic Church in particular. Shikapwasha is a man full of hatred, lies and vengeance.
There is nothing wrong that the Catholic Church is doing in this country. If leaders of the Catholic Church were behaving like him, the Christian church in Zambia would today be very weak. Shikapwasha is a reverend in some church. If Catholic priests were behaving like him, where would this country be?
If Shikapwasha wants to behave and to be seen as a Christian, there is need for him to follow Christ’s example. We say this because being a Christian means being like Christ, follower of Christ. Jesus Christ was humble, most pure, meek: how can His disciple and imitator be proud, arrogant, dishonest, greedy, vengeful, hateful, angry? This reminds us of what Alexander the Great once said to a soldier, who also had the same name but was sluggish, mean and cowardly: “Either change your name or change your behaviour.”
Christ’s entire doctrine was devoted to the humble, the poor; his doctrine was devoted to fighting against abuse, injustice and the degradation of human beings. Clearly, the ideas of social justice being advanced by the Catholic Church are in line, in tune and not in conflict with Christ’s teachings. There is a lot in common between the spirit and essence of Christ’s teachings and the Catholic Church’s social teachings of today. And for this reason, the Catholic Church will always find itself on the side of those fighting against abuses, injustice and the degradation of human beings; there will always be an alliance – but not a tactical one – between them. And as we have stated before, there is need to recognise the fact that we are living at a time when politics has entered a near religious sphere with regard to man and his behaviour. We also believe that we have come to a time when religion can enter the political sphere with regard to man and his material needs. Let us respect convictions, beliefs and explanations. Everyone is entitled to his own positions, his own beliefs. We must work in the sphere of these human problems that interest us all and constitute a duty for all. And in this sense, all who struggle for life are included in God’s scheme, even if they lack faith. It is your fellow man, and especially one who lacks life and needs justice, in whom God wishes to be served and loved. They are the ones with whom Jesus identified. Therefore, there is no contradiction between the struggle for justice and the fulfillment of God’s will. One demands the other. All who work along that line of God’s scheme for life are considered Jesus’ brothers and sisters (Mark 3:31-35). Therefore, what the Catholic Church is doing in this country, in our view, is the best way to follow Jesus in our country’s present situation.
We should not be enticed by Shikapwasha and his friends to read fairness as meaning parity between justice and injustice. As Christ has clearly demonstrated by his own life, injustice must be fought by everyone. And the simple lesson of religions and of life itself is that, although evil may be on the rampage temporarily, the good must win the laurels in the end.
We need religious institutions to continue to be the conscience of society, a moral custodian and a fearless champion of the interests of the weak and downtrodden. We don’t want a church or church leaders who are all the time busy looking for favours from the powerful, from those in government while abandoning the poor and the weak. We expect more from our churches because religion is a great force and it can help one command one’s own morality, one’s own behaviour and one’s own attitude.
Again, we end where we started. Lies are weapons that help no serious person, and no serious person ever needs to resort to a lie. Their weapon is reason, morality, truth, and the ability to defend an idea, a position. There was no need for Shikapwasha to go to Parliament and tell lies over matters that are so clear to everyone. Shikapwasha should know that there is no better tactic, no better strategy than to fight with clean hands, to fight with the truth. As we have stated before, these are the only weapons that inspire confidence, that inspire faith and that inspire dignity. And these are the weapons we have been using to defend ourselves from people like Shikapwasha, Rupiah, Frederick Chiluba and many other evil minded people who have been out to crush us. How else could this small newspaper have survived all these very powerful people with all the state machinery and money at their command? It’s nothing but the truth that has helped us survive this long with such very limited human and financial resources. And it matters less to us how much money Shikapwasha and his friends have to hire cadres and unleash them on us. Our weapons do not lie in the hands of hired youths and other poor people and desperate citizens.
And as such, we will never abandon the truth as our tactical, offensive and defensive weapon. It is such a versatile weapon and we urge Shikapwasha and his friends to embrace it because with it, no one loses a fight, a battle, a war.
Labels: PRESS FREEDOM, SHIKAPWASHA, THE POST
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Shikapwasha goes for Catholics, The Post
Written by George Chellah
Saturday, August 08, 2009 1:57:38 PM
THE Church is busy trying to jostle for who they should put into State House, forgetting their mandate, information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha told Parliament yesterday.
Giving a ministerial statement on the violence against journalists as reported in the media, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the church in Rwanda took sides with newspapers and radio stations, which were fanning out falsehoods and propaganda that led to the genocide.
"The church blindly took sides in opposing camps such that it is reported Mr Speaker that 'after a century of Christian proselytisation the country was catholicized but not Christianized. Ritual was generally followed but the spirit was missing. This became tragically evident for the church, only after April to May 1994, when its people slaughtered their brethren wholesale inside the churches on orders from civil authorities and priests. This Mr Speaker is because the church took sides with men. The church must take sides with God," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. "I see that the church in Zambia is taking sides with man rather than taking sides with God. We see the church in Zambia taking no stand against the things that God abhors. Where is the church when the newspaper is insulting the head of state? Where is the church when young men are insulting old men? Is it not the church to reconcile God's people in the country? The church is busy with trying to jostle for who they should put into State House, forgetting their mandate. Others are dishing out second hand clothing in the campaign for the pact. Others feel if a person does not belong to a certain political party, they are not Christian enough. Mr Speaker, all this used to happen in Rwanda before the genocide.
"The church failed in Rwanda, 25 priests have so far been imprisoned for genocide. The church in Zambia must learn from the lessons in Rwanda, the Spirit of God must rule in the lives of people. If there is any pact, that one should be packeted with it is Jesus. Therefore, my appeal to the church through you Mr Speaker and through this August House is seek ye first the Kingdom of God and Zambia shall be saved from calamities."
Lt Gen Shikapwasha also justified violence against journalists by MMD cadres, saying President Banda's supporters demand that the President be given due respect by The Post.
He said there was a consistent media attempt to identify President Rupiah Banda and his government as enemies by use of falsehoods about him and the party.
He said these media attempts provoked resentment and anger among President Banda's supporters.
He said in the last three years, the government had received information that some media personnel had been harassed by political cadres believed to belong to the MMD, PF and UPND.
"I can further confirm that this country is not threatened by these incidents nor are the acts of violence backed by people who want to give the perception of instability in the nation," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. "However, it is true that coverage of these isolated incidents of violence against the media personnel is largely exaggerated and probably intended to give the world the impression that peace is threatened."
He said media irresponsibility was the cause of the violence.
He said media bodies like the Media Ethics Council of Zambia (MECOZ) shoulder a heavy responsibility of monitoring the professional conduct of journalists and media institutions.
"So that they operate within the set confines of their profession. Otherwise the public will continue to demand for a statutory body to regulate the media. It will be difficult to fend off such demands if the public continue to regard the media as a source of conflict and insults, and a source of instability in the country," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. "As members may be aware, Botswana was recently rated the most peaceful country in our region. Some Zambians already conclude that this may be as a consequence of regulated media, they wouldn't fear the mark considering what is happening in Zambian media."
Lt Gen Shikapwasha who laid a number of Post newspaper copies on the table, said in Rwanda the media was abused.
"It is clear that in Rwanda, newspapers, radio and television or indeed media was grossly abused by those who were given the licences to own, work and report to the public. Arising out of their reporting, they incited a situation that led to colossal loss of life. Is it not clear Mr Speaker that the honourable members of this August House were moved or indeed incited to debate and show concern for the country in the manner they debated and demanded for action?" Lt Gen Shikapwasha asked. "Is it not true that one newspaper, The Post newspaper has not given heed to the cries of this August House to abandon its line of attacking and insulting the President of the Republic of Zambia Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda? Mr Speaker, President Banda must be respected. There are many Zambians who voted for President Banda and they demand the President be given due respect by The Post newspaper if only for those Zambians who put him in office and for the Zambians he represents."
He wondered how it was expected of people not to react if their leader was being insulted every day.
He also cited The Post's August 5, 2009, Wednesday edition headlined: ‘Zuma not aware of Rupiah's visit’.
"Whilst this article is a total fabrication. Mr Speaker, it is meant to embarrass the head of state and naturally it will incite both, positive emotions for those who do not like the President and above all negative emotions for those who love the President," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. "At the time The Post newspaper were printing this fabrication, His Excellency President Rupiah Bwezani Banda was in the midst of President to President discussion with the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr, Jacob Zuma. It is such irresponsible reporting that brings incitement."
He wondered why The Post never called him to get information when he had given the newspaper all his numbers.
He also wondered why The Post never contacted Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa Leslie Mbula.
However, on Tuesday August 4, 2009, Post journalist Chibaula Silwamba interviewed Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa Mbula, South African President Jacob Zuma's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya and South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson Nomfanelo Kota about Zambian President Rupiah Banda's visit to South Africa to hold bilateral talks with President Zuma in Pretoria.
Silwamba started by asking High Commissioner Mbula about the time President Banda would meet President Zuma for their bilateral talks and what were to be the key issues to be discussed between the presidents.
Below is the verbatim of the recorded conversation.
High Commissioner Mbula: Where is the President right now?
Silwamba: The President has just left.
High Commissioner Mbula: He has taken off?
Silwamba: Yes!
High Commissioner Mbula: Aha.
[Silence]
High Commissioner Mbula: I think that I am not very sure yet.
Silwamba: Okay?
High Commissioner Mbula: Maybe after he has come, when I have seen the programme, you can let me, you can phone me.
Silwamba: Okay. Alright.
High Commissioner Mbula: Aha!
Silwamba: Then I will phone you again.
High Commissioner Mbula: Then we can discuss. Thank you.
Silwamba: Okay. Thank you.
Later, Silwamba telephoned South Africa Ministry of Foreign Affairs' spokesperson [or former spokesperson] Ronnie Mamoepa.
Mamoepa: Contact Nomfanelo Kota on [mobile number].
Silwamba: [Reads out the mobile number]
Mamoepa: That is correct.
Silwamba: Ms who?
Mamoepa: Kota
Silwamba: She is the spokesperson for the President.
Mamoepa: For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Silwamba: Okay, Alright. Thank you very much
Mamoepa: Thank you. Bye!
After that Silwamba telephoned Nomfenalo Kota.
Silwamba: What time are the bilateral talks between our President, His Excellency the President of Zambia Mr Rupiah Banda and President Jacob Zuma starting and what is the agenda?
Kota: I have not been informed by the desk that deals with Zambian issues. So I am in the dark.
Silwamba: Okay?
Kota: As soon as we get informed, normally, we do send out a media advisory. Usually it is one week or two weeks in advance.
Silwamba: So far there is nothing?
Kota: On my desk there is nothing that says Zambia.
Silwamba: Okay, okay. Alright!
Kota: It might still be coming
Silwamba: Then I will call you again.
Kota: No problem.
Silwamba: Your first name is?
Kota: Nomfanelo
Silwamba: Nomsa.
Kota: Nomfanelo. Not Nomsa. Nomfanelo
Silwamba: Okay Nomfanelo Kota.
Kota: Yes!
Silwamba: Spokesperson for?
Kota: The Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
Silwamba: Alright. Thank you very much. We will keep in touch.
Silwamba later telephoned Magwenya and asked him when the meeting between the two presidents would take place and the key issues that were to be discussed during their bilateral talks.
Magwenya [sounds surprised]: When is that?
Silwamba: He [President Banda] left today; he left this morning for South Africa saying he is having bilateral talks with President Zuma.
[Silence]
Magwenya: When?
Silwamba: They didn't say, we were just told that 'he is leaving today; he is having bilateral talks with the President, President Zuma and that’s it. And after that he will go for his medical review.' So we just wanted to be sure [about their meeting and agenda].
Magwenya: Well, I will have to come back to you on that, chief.
Silwamba: Okay.
Magwenya: I haven't received any confirmation on that one.
Silwamba: Okay.
Magwenya: Yah!
After that, Silwamba asked Magwenya if he could call him back if there were any changes and the meeting would take place.
But Magwenya advised Silwamba to send him a text message so that he [Magwenya] could get his number.
Silwamba later sent text to Magwenya but the latter did not call back with any new information.
On Wednesday August 5, 2009 after the story was published, Silwamba telephoned Magwenya who confirmed that presidents Banda and Zuma had a private meeting but declined to disclose whether it was bilateral talks or personal discussion and what the resolutions of the two presidents' meeting were.
Magwenya: They met. Yah! It was a private meeting, chief.
Silwamba: They met.
Magwenya: Yah, they met but it was a private meeting.
Silwamba: Okay, okay. Thanks.
Magwenya: Okay.
And Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the government condemned the reported violence against journalists.
"It is criminal, uncalled for and unacceptable," he said.
He said on countless occasions, government leaders up to President Banda were on record as having condemned violence against journalists.
"During his very first press conference as President at State House on 15th November, 2008, President Banda personally intervened in defence of a Reuters correspondent when some people in the audience jeered and booed the reporter for asking the President a question which apparently displeased him. On 26th May, 2009, President Rupiah Bwezani Banda, through the special assistant to President-press and public relations, wrote to The Post newspaper on 'continued harassment of your journalists by MMD cadres'. I shall read this letter and will lay it on the table," said Lt Gen Shikapwasha as he read the letter to Parliament. "As recently as 30th July, 2009 and Tuesday this week, among other occasions, President Banda again condemned the reported acts of violence against journalists and called for an immediate end to the vice."
He said incidents of violence were not the monopoly of the MMD and that the ruling party has equally condemned violence.
He said the police was committed to providing high quality service by upholding and applying the law firmly and fairly to all.
"With regard to the airport incident, I wish to inform the House that contrary to reports that police were spectators to the violence, in fact they actually intervened by calming the situation. The intervention of the senior officers may not have been conspicuous because they do not personally get involved but use their operatives in such situations. Right now, police are doing everything possible to bring the culprits to book," he said.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the only way forward was to face the truth.
"Jesus said 'the truth shall set you free. We must free ourselves from this scourge.' The contention seems to be premised on grounds that while the media practitioners feel they have a duty to report incidents as they happen without restrictions, some members of society on the other hand, find reports by some media houses biased, unfair and insulting to their leaders and to the elders in society and find such reporting against Zambian custom and culture leading to some of the confrontations we have witnessed," he said.
He warned media personnel when commenting on foreign heads of state or their culture and governance.
"Indeed it does not help Zambia's relations with other states to suggest that the visit to our country by a head of state is for sharing women, as was suggested by a caller allowed by Sky FM radio station recently. Or indeed that nurses from a certain country were prostitutes again from Sky FM radio," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. "Such media reports naturally provoke reaction, unfortunately violent ones in some cases. Such irresponsible reporting will bring animosity between the people of that country and Zambia. This is bound to bring about tension between Zambia and other countries. It will affect the position of Zambians in that country."
He said freedom and responsible reporting could be highly controversial and subjective.
"We need sober minds and level headedness in what we say or do as well as in the news coverage of the same. For overreaction to what is published can be as bad as inciting of violence itself. Similarly, poor judgment of what to publish can also be as bad as inciting violence itself," he said.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha also referred to the findings made during the trial of the media after the genocide, which claimed hundreds of lives in Rwanda.
"In the Zambian case, there is a consistent media attempt to identify President Banda and his government as MMD as enemies by use of falsehoods about him and the party. This provokes resentment and anger among his supporters," he said.
He also said Zambians in the diaspora recently explained to him that the bad image of the country that was being painted by the media was not only damaging the country's image but also would scare away would be investors.
Upon finishing presenting his ministerial statement, Lt Gen Shikapwasha resumed his seat amidst cheering from MMD members of parliament.
Vice-President George Kunda excitedly shook his hand before he resumed his seat.
Labels: CATHOLIC CHURCH, PRESS FREEDOM, SHIKAPWASHA, THE POST
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I’m a believer of media freedom: Shikapwasha denies threats to close Sky FM
Written by Ernest Chanda
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 5:29:13 PM
INFORMATION and Broadcasting Services minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha has said he has no intention of closing down Sky FM radio of Monze. Commenting on revelations that he was threatening to close down the station, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said he was a believer in media freedom and would not close a radio station if it was operating within the law.
“Let me state that I have been listening to Sky FM for the past one month. I listen to their programmes every day, including the live phone-in programme.
I want to say that I have no problem with criticism that is meant to build the nation. I have heard several meaningful criticisms on this programme. Sometimes the callers have gone ahead criticizing this government and suggesting other governments, I have no problem with that,” Lt Gen Shikapwasha said.
“Sky FM is not the only one I have spoken to. I have also spoken to radio Icengelo and I have no problem with their criticism. But I have a problem with a situation where a radio station goes out of the way and airs insults against other people. Management at all radio stations that conduct phone-in programmes should understand that while the callers insult, those they insult are also listening and are bound to react. In this way that radio station is creating tension in the country, this I will not tolerate.”
He said radio stations should be mindful of the security of the country as they go about their daily operations.
“Security of any country is important and no radio station will be allowed to subvert the law and compromise the security of this country. Let us remember that the genocide in Rwanda was started by the media. One radio station was broadcasting messages that were against a certain group of the community. People from that group were being called cockroaches and that they should be killed,” he said.
“And we all know the results of that genocide. So, can we surely allow such a situation to come to this country? Is that what we can call freedom of the media? The media planted seeds of genocide in that country at that time. I want to say that the media in this country, including The Post should be responsible as they operate.”
Lt Gen Shikapwasha complained that Sky FM management were not controlling their customers who called to participate on their programmes.
“It is important for any radio station to make sure that they make a balance in the way they conduct themselves. Sky FM has not been controlling their callers who have been calling others names. They have been calling people buffoons, stupid and other things,” he said.
“For example yesterday [Monday] one calleer referred to Zimbabwean nurses as prostitutes. Surely, if these nurses were to attend to a Zambian who fell sick in Zimbabwe would they do it whole heartedly? They would say no, you people have called us prostitutes. This is why I called the Sky FM moderator to tell him that he was not giving guidance to his callers.”
Asked why the ministry has been asking for recordings from Sky FM, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said it was a normal operation.
“I have always acted within the law and this is why I asked for recordings from Sky Fm. I have always done this with radio Phoenix, with Muvi Tv and even Radio Christian Voice. I asked my permanent secretary to get recordings from Sky FM so that I could listen and guide appropriately,’ he said.
“Media freedom doesn’t mean freedom to create chaos. No source from this ministry told you that I will close the station, it was Hambulo himself. Let him be brave enough and be on record. There is no body here in the ministry who knows about those letters you published from the ministry apart from Hambulo himself.’
When told that the source of the information in yesterday’s story was not Hambulo but some ministry sources, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said that such people were peddling lies.
“I don’t like people who lie. I’m the one who spoke to Hambulo because I was angered and I wanted to say it’s wrong for any radio station to air lies. The gentleman you quoted to have made an allegation against President Banda and King Mswati didn’t even say King Mswati, he simply said Mswati. He said Mswati is here so that he can exchange women with Banda.”
“Now, what kind of a nation do you want to build where you insult a visiting Kind and your own President? Does that caller have evidence to stand and say this is happening? We don’t want to close any radio station. I have been in business of criticism for 45 years and I know how to handle that. I agree with the last part of your editorial comment where you have called on people to be responsible. That should have started your story, not attacking me as you have done. I insist that we shall not close any station that operates within the law. In fact I’m meeting Mr Hambulo on Thursday [tomorrow] so that we can discuss the issue,” said Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
On Monday some sources within the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services revealed that Lt Gen Shikapwasha had been planning to close down Sky FM because he has not been happy with comments from some callers.
Labels: RADIO SKY FM, SHIKAPWASHA
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Shikapwasha’s change of position over Chiluba shows lack of morals – HH
Written by Patson Chilemba
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 2:41:24 PM
OPPOSITION UPND president Hakainde Hichilema yesterday observed that Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha's change of position over Frederick Chiluba shows lack of principles and morals.
Commenting on chief government spokesperson Lt Gen Shikapwasha's statement that God will answer former president Chiluba's prayers and yet in 2004 he [Shikapwasha] asked pastors who received money from Chiluba to confess because it was plundered money, Hichilema said Lt Gen Shikapwasha was inconsistent just like his government and MMD were inconsistent on national issues.
"You must understand that MMD is inconsistent. You just have to look at many issues. And I am not surprised that Shikapwasha will say this and tomorrow say another thing just because it suits him. Running a country is more than a convenience. It shows you a lack of principles and morals," Hichilema said. "They are trying to cover themselves from the many alleged corruption cases such as the GMO maize importation saga, ZAMTEL saga, Selex saga and many others by appearing to side with those who are facing corruption charges."
Hichilema further said the court process involving Chiluba should be allowed to take its course without interference from anyone.
Hichilema said this was not the time to allow opportunism to hijack the process.
On Monday, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said God was Chiluba's strength.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha made the remarks in response to Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata's assertions that Chiluba was a desperate person who has found President Rupiah Banda's shoulder safer to lean on.
When asked if President Banda's pardon of Chiluba would be welcome, Lt Gen Shikapwasha responded: "There are many prisoners every year that the President pardons. Last year, late president [Levy] Mwanawasa pardoned 700 prisoners. President Banda pardoned some prisoners this year. All those are Zambians and when a President makes a decision in that line, he should be supported."
Asked if the Zambians he was talking about included the pardon of Chiluba, Lt Gen Shikapwasha responded: "Aren't we all Zambians?"
However, in 2004 Lt Gen Shikapwasha had said pastors who received money from Chiluba should confess because it was plundered money.
But Chiluba said Lt Gen Shikapwasha should respect him because he was his commander-in-chief.
Chiluba said he took with great exception Lt Gen Shikapwasha's attempt to discredit him although this was falling in the wider motives of government to continue with their political harassment against him.
Labels: CHILUBA, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, SHIKAPWASHA
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Declining professionalism in media worries Shikapwasha
Written by Moses Kuwema
Sunday, February 15, 2009 7:51:22 AM
INFORMATION minister Ronnie Shikapwasha on Friday said the government is concerned with declining levels of professional conduct by some sectors of the media.
During the 7th MISA-Zambia annual media awards in Lusaka, Lt Gen Shikapwasha urged the media to find ways of regulating themselves since they were complaining about the government's intention to regulate them.
He said the concern had reached levels where some parliamentarians were calling for statutory regulation of the media.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha however, said it was not the government's intention to regulate the media but that the government would like to see all media organisations subscribing to the Media Ethics Council of Zambia (MECOZ) or any other self-regulatory body that the media would come up with in upholding ethical and professional reporting.
He said he recently met with representatives of various media associations and unions who briefed him about the efforts being made in ensuring that different media bodies worked together in avoiding state regulation.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said a free media was an important partner in entrenching democracy and contributing to development.
He said the government would continue encouraging a plural and diverse media in the country, adding that this was the only way in which citizens would have access to a wide range of information and ideas to enable them participate in a democratic space.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said as a result of this policy, the country now had 37 operational radio stations and six television stations established since the liberalisation of the broadcasting sector in 1994, but that there was still room for more players.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said despite the tremendous growth in the electronic media sector, there had been limited growth in the print media.
“A lot of newspapers come and go immediately after they are established due to, among other factors, high operational costs,” he said.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the government was open to discussion to find ways in which to enhance the growth of the print media.
And MISA-Zambia chairperson Henry Kabwe urged the government, through the Citizens' Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), to carefully expedite the disbursement of the media development fund.
Kabwe said this would help journalists focus on various developmental issues and in turn contribute to Zambia's development.
He said a lot of media houses in Zambia had the potential but were hampered by huge printing costs, high cost of equipment, lack of transport, poor conditions of service and incapacity to employ qualified and experienced journalists.
Kabwe however, said the fund should not be used as a benchmark for indirect regulation of the media by the government through selective allocation of resources to media institutions.
He also said it was disheartening to keep seeing the non-implementation of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) amendment acts.
Kabwe said there was need to see more movement towards the implementation of what had already been enacted in order to for the media to have confidence that there would be progress once other provisions were enshrined and enacted.
Meanwhile, two Post journalists, Masuzyo Chakwe and Abel Mambwe, won the MISA-Zambia best HIV and AIDS print media reporting and the best photojournalist award respectively.
Other winners were Wamunyima Muwana of ZANIS for the best TV recording, Maybin Katungulo of Yatsani Radio for the best radio recording, Newton Sibande of Zambia Daily Mail for the best print media reporting and UNZA Radio’s Chanda Katongo for the best HIV and AIDS radio reporting.
Others were Hot FM’s Hope Chishala for the best telecommunications award, Susan Ndumingu from ZANIS for the MISA anti-corruption award, Cephas Moonga for the best HIV and AIDS TV reporting while Window Images for Media in Development got the best reporting in water and sanitation.
The overall MISA media freedom award went to Frank Mutubila while the Jowie Mwiinga Award for best student at Evelyn Hone College went to Bright Mukwasa.
Labels: JOURNALISM, MEDIA, REGULATION, SHIKAPWASHA
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Inclusion of cadres in AU summit entourage a waste of money – Sata
Written by Moses Kuwema and Chibaula Silwamba
Tuesday, February 03, 2009 9:03:06 AM
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday said the inclusion of FDD president Edith Nawakwi and MMD cadre Judith Banda Simuziya on President Rupiah Banda's entourage to the African Union (AU) summit is a wastage of taxpayers’ money.
And chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha has confirmed that Nawakwi and Simuziya are in President Banda's entourage at the AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In an interview, Sata said the MMD cadre's presence at the AU summit was irrelevant. He said it was clear that President Banda was trying to satisfy the women who would be campaigning for him to become MMD president.
"We know [the President's chief analyst for press and public relations] Dickson Jere's function; he is advising the President on how to respond to certain issues and we know [the President's political advisor] Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika is also advising the president but when you come to madam Simuziya, she is wasting taxpayers' money for nothing. What is she doing there, apart from exhibiting her beauty?" Sata wondered.
Sata said he sympathized with Nawakwi because she was just obeying instructions from the founding leader of FDD, Lt Gen Christon Tembo.
"When they [Lt Gen Tembo and Nawakwi] united at the former vice-president's residence, he ordered FDD to dissolve and join MMD and she has been doing that to the letter. In any case, when she is there she has not gone as opposition. She is a very insignificant leader of an insignificant political party with an insignificant representation in Parliament," Sata said.
"As I have said before, when General Tembo was the president of FDD, he had 11 members of parliament and when she took over she 'improved' on General Tembo's 11 MPs to two. That is a great improvement from 11 to two MPs representing less than 30,000 votes."
Sata said Nawakwi enjoyed good food when she campaigned with President Banda last year.
"So three months after the elections, she must have missed staying in expensive lodges, free ride in government vehicles and choppers, and today she is in Addis Ababa. What is she doing? Only God knows," Sata said.
"Her [Nawakwi] secretary general Newton Ng'uni is the secretary general of NCC and all other MPs; the vice-president of FDD Chifumu Banda is the chairman of the NCC. So when it comes to enjoying on the heads of the people, that's FDD's policy! That's their manifesto and now if she is in Addis Ababa, we don't know in which position she has been to Addis Ababa. And if there is something the opposition requires to oppose, is she going to oppose?"
Sata said opposition political parties in Zambia had been badly hit by poverty and that Zambians had no alternative apart from PF.
"Zambians have only remained with one true opposition party to speak for them, the Patriotic Front because there is no enmity between us and the MMD or the ruling government. Our job is just to provide checks and balances. But if you are eating with them in Addis Ababa and during campaigns, how do you oppose them?" Sata asked. "For example, Edith Nawakwi as former minister of finance, where would she get the courage to oppose Rupiah Banda and [finance minister Dr Situmbeko] Musokotwane on this budget of the leaders because the way I understand the budget, you only abandon the projects after they have been completed. But in Musokotwane's budget, money has been reduced from the police, Zambia National Service, Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force, Office of the President."
Sata said Nawakwi could no longer function as an opposition leader.
"Edith Nawakwi will have to come and justify because the people who are not going to justify on that trip to Addis Ababa is Akashambatwa, Dickson, the first lady, the minister of foreign affairs. Those are there to accompany the President," Sata said.
But Lt Gen Shikapwasha said Nawakwi and Simuziya would contribute to the agenda being discussed at the AU summit.
"As far as the government is concerned, those people [Nawakwi and Simuziya] are part of the entourage of the President," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. "They are there purely to deal with the issues that the President might want to consult from them."
He said Nawakwi was included on the entourage as an opposition leader in the country.
Asked in what capacity Simuziya was at the summit and what contribution she would make, Lt Gen Shikapwasha defended the MMD cadre.
"I don't think you should ask me so many questions because those people will help the President on issues he wants to consult them on," said Lt Shikapwasha. "Those people will contribute to the agenda being discussed there."
But FDD vice president Chifumu Banda said he did not know why Nawakwi was at the summit.
"I don't know," said Banda. "But even [UPND Mbabala member of parliament Emmanuel] Hachipuka is also there. So ask [UPND president Hakainde] Hichilema why Hachipuka is there."
Nawakwi was among several leaders of opposition political parties who campaigned for President Banda in the October 30, 2008 presidential elections.
Simuziya was a receptionist at MMD's campaign centre on Bwinjimfumu Road in Rhodes Park in Lusaka.
Labels: AU, CADRES, EDITH NAWAKWI, FDD, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA, SHIKAPWASHA
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Shikapwasha urges Zambians to support 2009 budget
January 31, 2009
Government has called on the people of Zambia to support the 2009 national budget in order to enhance economic development in the country.
Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha said there was need for the people of Zambia to fully support this year’s national budget, which he said has placed much emphasis on the economic recovery of the nation. Lieutenant General Shikapwasha was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.
He said as Members of Parliament and the public begin to debate the budget, there was need for them to support it because it has reflected a number of programmes that would promote economic development in the country.
He further said that the 2009 national budget had addressed a number of development programmes which he said will help to harness economic development in Zambia when implemented well.
General Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, cited the mining, agriculture, tourism, health, education and construction sectors respectively as some of the key sectors that needed the full support of Zambian people in order to enhance economic development in the country.
The minister further said people should be happy that the 2009 national budget was focusing on diversification.
He noted that diversifying the country’s economy would help address some challenges associated with the global economic crunch.
He said the budget was reflecting the country’s economic recovery as it was massively supporting education, health, agriculture and tourism sectors.
And General Shikapwasha has brushed aside calls by some opposition political parties that government should institute an independent body that will audit the National Constitution Conference (NCC).
He said there was no need for some opposition political parties to start calling for an independent audit body to audit NCC because the commission had not misapplied resources that were allocated for the exercise.
He however said Zambians and the opposition political parties were free to call on the office of the Auditor General to audit the National Constitutional Conference.
The Chief Government spokesperson said the Auditor General’s office was the right government organ to audit government institutions and departments.
He has since called on the opposition and the Zambian people to support NCC to enable it execute its mandate within the stipulated time.
ZANIS/TK/KSH/ENDS
Labels: 2009 BUDGET, NCC, SHIKAPWASHA
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We can’t promise to implement PF proposals, says Shikapwasha
Written by Margaret Mtonga
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 1:30:46 PM
CHIEF government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha yesterday said it is not possible for the MMD government to guarantee opposition Patriotic Front (PF) that they will implement whatever proposals made. Reacting to PF spokesperson Given Lubinda’s statement that they could only dialogue if they were convinced that the advice given to the MMD would be implemented, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said dialogue meant sitting down and agreeing on one common goal.
“I don’t agree with PF that we should guarantee them that whatever advice they give to the MMD should be implemented because we might not agree on their advice as a party,” he said.
“Some of the advice that they might give us may not be in our interest.”
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the best way for the PF and the MMD was to sit down to discuss issues affecting the country.
“The best thing is for us, the two parties, to sit down and agree on a resolution,” Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. “Trust among us, the two parties, is very important as that will enable us to achieve positive results from dialogue.”
Lt Gen Shikapwasha further said the government was at the moment not in a position to promise the PF that it would implement whatever advice or proposals the opposition party would give.
The government recently called on opposition political parties to dialogue over the many challenges the country was currently facing. Among the issues lined up for possible discussion include the high prices of basic commodities in the country.
Labels: GIVEN LUBINDA, INTERPARTY DIALOGUE, PF, SHIKAPWASHA
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A welcome move
A welcome move
Written by Editor
It is good that the government has yielded to both local and international pressure not to regulate the media. We say the government has yielded because we do not think it is correct for information minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha to claim that government has had no intention of regulating the media. Only a few weeks ago, this same Lt Gen Shikapwasha was publicly justifying why the media had to be regulated by law.
Even his predecessor Mike Mulongoti spoke passionately about statutory regulation of the media as opposed to self-regulation. Of course, some members of parliament – those enemies of press freedom – have from time to time selfishly propagated statutory regulation of the media.
And it is also not correct for Lt Gen Shikapwasha to claim that some members of parliament felt the need to regulate the media following what he termed as unprofessional behaviour by some media houses during campaigns leading to the October 30 elections. This is not true because long before these campaigns, politicians had been scheming on how to legislate against the media. During the campaigns, Mulongoti even threatened to close The Post after the elections. Some of the ruling MMD’s agents and allies like Neo Simutanyi were not ashamed to incite the incoming president to deal with The Post.
This explains why the Freedom of Information Bill has not seen the light of day because these politicians are sitting on it. And when they talk about regulating the media, they only have one medium in mind; The Post, the newspaper they consider to be a pain in their side.
It is not difficult to discern this. During the last sitting of Parliament, most members of parliament that debated clearly felt the need to regulate media because of how The Post covered the October 30 elections. They said this either directly or indirectly.
They want to come up with the law because they don’t like what The Post stands for. And even when they talk about The Post, it’s clear that they are only talking about an individual. What they forget is that the laws they want to formulate against the media, to gag the media, will not be confined to The Post alone or the individual they detest at The Post. This law will affect the entire media landscape in the country. This will be a sad development for our young democracy because such laws promote and protect dictatorship.
Like we have said before, those who have nothing to hide, those who have no skeletons to guard in their wardrobes will not be afraid of a free and vibrant media. They will not be afraid of the media that regulate themselves. Those who believe that true democracy, not the guided one, hinges on freedom of expression will always support and defend media freedom because divergent views will not be experienced in a democracy that controls the media. It is only a free media that will promote democracy through its diversity.
In saying all this, we are not in any way trying to belittle the good step the government has taken by announcing that it will not regulate the media. We commend the government for this step and encourage them to continue on this path where good reason is given an opportunity to excel, to succeed, to triumph over petty selfish personal considerations by those who wield or aspire to wield power.
What we are trying to say, in short, is what Lenin once said that yielding is legitimate and essential when the yielder is convinced that those who are striving to make him yield are in the right. In this case, honest politicians frankly and openly admit their mistaken view on things and correct them.
We think that Lt Gen Shikapwasha’s statement is an indirect admission of the government’s initial mistaken view on this matter. And we commend him for this bold step he has taken because from our past experience, it’s been very hard to get politicians to admit and correct their mistakes. This is how it should be.
It cannot be denied that in all progressive nations, regulation of the media in the manner being advocated by our politicians cannot be tolerated. And if the government goes ahead to regulate the media in such a manner, then they should prepare themselves for international pressure, loss of respect and ridicule. They will meet hostility wherever they go in the world, on this issue. And any credentials they may claim on this issue of democracy will be eroded or wiped out.
As we have stated before, the only other time when yielding is legitimate and essential is when an irrational and harmful demand is yielded to in order to avert a greater evil. But is this the situation? The answer is a categorical no.
Therefore, there is no basis whatsoever to proceed with legislation that will not only take us backwards on good governance, but also bring us international shame. And it is good that the government has realised this. This issue of media freedom is not a small one for those countries that want to practice democracy in the real sense. Democracy cannot thrive in the absence of a free media and good governance. Under such a setup, it will remain a political pipedream.
A free press is an essential for checks and balances in a democracy. It cannot be denied that a free and vibrant media anywhere in the world helps to promote transparency, accountability and good governance. That is why those politicians who have a lot of things to sweep under the carpet are not comfortable to have a free media. They want to gag the media through statutory regulation so that the media operates according to their design.
Again, in saying this, we are not in any way promoting anarchy, impunity or irresponsibility in the practice of journalism. That is why we support calls for self-regulation as opposed to statutory regulation.
It is a fact that in any discipline or profession, there are some people who pursue it with honour and integrity while others don’t. But this does not give impetus to the government to use undemocratic means to come up with laws designed to defeat the essence of democracy.
There will always be bad eggs everywhere. What is important is to look at the most convenient and prudent ways of dealing with such eggs wherever they exist.
That is why we welcome Lt Gen Shikapwasha’s announcement which paves way for self-regulation in the media and not statutory regulation.
Labels: MIKE MULONGOTI, SHIKAPWASHA
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Government forms Food Task Force
December 5, 2008
GOVERNMENT has formed a task force to tackle the rising food prices. The task force will come up with a national action plan and bring out interventions needed in the short, medium and long-term. The task force will be chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, said this at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday. He said Government had taken note of the concerns expressed by various people and organisations about the state of food security in the country and how this had impacted on the prices of mealie meal and its availability.
Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services said Government was aware that a number of districts were facing food insecurity arising from a number of factors.
These factors include the general rise in food prices, effects of the failure of the global economic systems, irresponsible sale of maize in some communities and households and the floods experienced last rainy season. Gen Shikapwasha said Government was taking appropriate interventions to prevent people in any part of the country from starving. The government has estimated the shortfall at 100,000 metric tonnes.
“Government is currently assessing the level of food insecurity in parts of the country that experienced floods or poor rainfall and is moving maize from surplus to deficit areas,” he said.
Gen Shikapwasha said there would be need to import the shortfall to last until May next year when the nation would rely on its own produce.
He said Government would continue providing relief food to people in areas that experienced food shortages because of floods.
Gen Shikapwasha said this would be one of the main activities within the rehabilitation programme.
He said Government had so far distributed 5,714 metric tonnes of maize out of which 3,254 metric tonnes had gone to Southern Province which was the most affected by the floods.
Gen Shikapwasha said the exercise would continue throughout all affected areas.
“Government’s only concern is that some people who have maize or can afford to buy mealie meal want to be listed among relief food beneficiaries, and some wards currently benefiting from relief food are more secure than those left out,” he said.
Gen Shikapwasha said Government was reviewing the situation to see if new vulnerable people could be taken on board.
He said Government through the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) would continue to conduct rapid vulnerability and needs assessment.
He said the findings of the vulnerability and needs assessment would inform Government on how much various parameters had changed.
“I wish, however, to point out that there is no need for panic and people should not be misled by those trying to make political mileage out of this situation,” Gen Shikapwasha said.
He said the rising mealie meal prices should not be used as an issue to incite unrest in the country because Government was taking all necessary measures to address it.
“Moreover, it’s misleading to suggest, as the Patriotic Front has done, that President Rupiah Banda promised to reduce mealie meal prices,” Gen Shikapwasha said.
He said President Banda emphasised the need to increase food production and increased subsidy on fertiliser for beneficiaries under the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP) so that peasant farmers could increase production.
Gen Shikapwasha assured the people of Zambia that there was no need for the planned protects by the PF cadres.
He said information obtained yesterday from the provinces showed that the highest wholesale price for breakfast meal was K57,000 for 25 kilogrammes while roller meal was pegged at K51,000.
Gen Shikapwasha said some retailers added a mark-up of K10,000.
He was concerned that there was a big variance of retail prices between the line of rail and the rural towns.
“The difference is explained by the cost of transportation of either maize or mealie meal from surplus to deficit areas,” Gen Shikapwasha said.
He said the task force on the rising food prices was studying the matter and was expected to advise Government on how best to deal with the situation.
Gen Shikapwasha said PF president Michael Sata was supposed to seek dialogue with Government or look at the interventions in place.
He said the fertiliser issue had also been taken out of context because neither President Banda nor Government promised to reduce the price of fertiliser across the board.
Gen Shikapwasha said the subsidised fertiliser was not for the open market but for targeted people belonging to cooperatives and benefiting from the FSP.
On the recent job losses on the mines, Gen Shikapwasha said Government would ensure that it negotiated with the mining companies to find ways of mitigating the situation.
On the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, Gen Shikapwasha said Government was concerned about the situation.
He said Zambian officials would only intervene in the matter when their Zimbabwean counterparts invite them.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Labels: FOOD TASK FORCE, SHIKAPWASHA
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Justify your voting for pay rise, Sata challenges PF MPs
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Monday, November 24, 2008 10:11:18 AM
OPPOSITION Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata yesterday challenged his members of parliament who voted for their salary increments to justify to the nation if they are worth higher perks.
And UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has charged that President Rupiah Banda has no courage to veto Bills seeking to increase salaries and allowances for constitutional office holders.
Meanwhile, Hichilema said the fluctuation of the kwacha against major currencies and the increase in interest rates are indications of lack of confidence in the leadership of President Banda.
Reacting to chief government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha's challenge to him that he should not condemn the salary and allowance increment because even PF members of parliament voted "Yes" in support of the bills in Parliament, Sata challenged his members of Shikapwasha's challenge to him that he should not condemn the salary and allowance increment because even PF members of parliament voted in favour of the bills in Parliament, Sata challenged his members of parliament to show what they had done in their constituencies to deserve a salary increment.
"Whether my members of parliament or not, whether they voted or did not vote, that bill had already gone through as you know that bill is not debated in the House. If you look at our members of parliament, if you count names that are there...why hasn't Shikapwasha produced the full list? Why is he only producing PF members?" Sata asked.
"And even PF members who voted for the bill, they must justify to the nation; are they worth salary increments? What have they done in their constituencies to deserve salary increments? What sacrifice have they done to deserve salary increments? That is what I am saying, regardless of whoever voted for and you cannot only talk about PF MPs. The whole point is that PF did not take that bill back to the House, PF did not lie to the people that they have withdrawn the bill. It was [President] Rupiah Banda and Shikapwasha."
He maintained that he was opposed to the salary increment.
"Even if he [Lt Gen Shikapwasha] named PF members of parliament, if you look at that Parliament as it is today, MMD has 84 members of parliament, when you add UPND 22, that comes to 106, when you add 18 of our 'rebels', they come to 124 and that vote you had there was only 119," Sata said.
He said Zambians were the ones who should have decided that members of parliament and other constitutional office holders deserved an upward adjustment of their salaries and not the parliamentarians, who are employees, to decide for themselves.
"Are we going to pay them for killing the kwacha? Are we going to pay them for bringing expensive mealie-meal? Are we going to pay them for bringing expensive fuel? Are we going to pay them for a stagnant economy where we don't know where we are going? Is that what they are saying they deserve salary increment? And I am talking about all our representatives in the House, regardless [of their political parties]," Sata said.
"You remember that those bills were a subject of the elections. We condemned them during the elections and when we condemned Rupiah Banda who cheated the people of Zambia that 'I am withdrawing the bills, I am not going to sign them.'"
Sata also advised Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who is also information and broadcasting services minister, not to demean teachers and other civil servants who get lower salaries.
"Shikapwasha is reported in your newspaper challenging the teacher that a teacher is not a president, a teacher is not a minister. Without a teacher, how would [Community development minister] Michael Kaingu, Shikapwasha and [MMD spokesperson Benny] Tetamashimba be?" Sata asked.
"They should not compare themselves with a teacher. There is nothing Shikapwasha can say that a minister cannot be compared to a teacher. I know useless ministers. Shikapwasha has been minister of home affairs, what has he done at Ministry of Home Affairs? We have had some very good teacher-politicians; John Mwanakatwe, Kenneth Kaunda, Kebby Musokotwane who cannot be compared to Shikapwasha and Kaingu. The list is endless of teachers who made good politicians."
He challenged Lt Gen Shikapwasha to resign if he felt that his salary was low.
"If Shikapwasha thinks he is underpaid, why doesn't he resign and go and get a job, after all he is a pilot. He can go and get a job in Dubai and get more money than what we are paying him in government," he said.
Sata claimed that the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) delegates also wanted to increase their allowances.
Commenting on government plans to import 100,000 metric tonnes of maize to cushion the shortage of the staple food in the country, Sata recalled that when he complained about the exportation of maize earlier this year before the country took stock of the local requirements, he was condemned but now he has been vindicated.
"You remember that time one minister said I was politicking when I told you that they have not taken stock of the maize we require for the whole year. I said it is silly for them to export maize now, you remember? But the same people justified, saying we have plenty of maize. Now nobody is telling us how much we are going to spend on importation of maize," said Sata.
"Now our kwacha has depreciated badly but somebody says he has authorised the importation of 100,000 metric tonnes. So you are using a cheaper kwacha to buy expensive maize, and when the maize lands here plus transportation and other costs, how much is the bag of mealie-meal going to be? Are we sure they are not importing maize from their friends just like the people who are buying fertiliser?"
And Hichilema said President Banda, as the chair of Cabinet meeting, allowed the increment of salaries and allowances, therefore, he would not refuse to sign the bills when they are presented to him for assent.
"Those are government Bills. They don't go to Parliament before Cabinet approves them. Who is the chairman of Cabinet? It's Rupiah Banda. Now people are calling for him not to sign the bills but it's him who allowed the bills to go to Parliament because those bills start with a Cabinet memo and Rupiah Banda is a chairman of Cabinet," Hichilema said. "Rupiah Banda has no capacity, courage and decisiveness to do what late Levy Mwanawasa could have done not to sign the bills.
Hichilema said the increment of salaries and allowances and escalating mealie meal prices were just a tip of the iceberg of the sufferings Zambians would undergo during President Banda's rule.
"I am not surprised that this has happened because we told the people of Zambia that the referral of those Bills to Parliament was to hoodwink the people of Zambia to vote for him, to make them think that he is a compassionate man when he is not, when the MMD government is not," Hichilema said. "Now that he has been elected, he has ignored the pressure and that is not the only thing you are going to see. During the campaigns he said fertiliser had been reduced to K50,000 per kg but that was political cheating. He said 'mealie-meal prices are going to reduce.' But what are the prices of mealie-meal now? Sometimes K75,000 per 25 kg bag of mealie-meal."
He said Zambians were now seeing with their naked eyes what he and UPND had warned them about.
"Zambians don't have a government that cares for them. The MMD government and the President himself has no interest of the suffering Zambian," he said. "What you have seen is just a tip of the iceberg. These salary increments, even if they claim they have revised downwards, if you compare them to what other public servants get - relevant comparison - look at teachers' salaries, it's about K800,000 to about K1 million, look at the nurses' salaries. An agriculture extension officer's salary, there is no comparison."
He said politics must not be treated as a source of income but meant to serve the people.
"So why should we get those who are supposed to be providing service to want to equal their pay to that of the governor of the central bank. Are you telling me that these MMD ministers have qualifications to operate as governor of the central bank? They don't have, they are actually confusing the comparative analysis," Hichilema said. "Yes they need to be remunerated adequately, there is no question about that but why would a nominated member of parliament still get a constituency allowance? Which constituency?"
He said it was nonsense for nominated parliamentarians to receive constituency allowances.
"Constituency allowance is to pay a member of parliament who has a constituency to be able to assist them in serving their constituency and a nominated member of parliament gets a constituency allowance," he said. "I think that is nonsense. Nonsense because it doesn't make sense because the definition for which the allowance is given does not apply. So it is nonsense. That money is supposed to go to nurses, teachers, police officer, military personnel and others who are paid lowly. We must reallocate that money to needy areas."
He urged Zambians to connect their unacceptable living conditions to the process of electing their leaders.
"I hear many people now saying, 'tinapanga mistake. (We made a mistake). But the question is how many times will the people of Zambia make a mistake?" asked Hichilema. "Now that the people of Zambia have made a mistake to elect him, though in a contested way, he has a passport to make them suffer, they have not seen enough, they have just seen the tip of the iceberg; you will see how much more suffering the people of Zambia will experience."
However, Hichilema defended UPND parliamentarians who voted in favour of the bills to increase their salaries and allowance.
"That is not an issue. A member of parliament is not supposed to debate their own bills, that is a parliamentary procedure and Shikapwasha wants to hoodwink the people of Zambia and throw blame on opposition parliamentarians," Hichilema argued.
Meanwhile, Hichilema said the frequent fluctuation of the kwacha was a sign of lack of confidence in the leadership of President Banda and his new Cabinet.
The kwacha is trading at about K 4,600 against US$1.
Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, KWACHA, MPs, PF, RUPIAH BANDA, SALARIES, SATA, SHIKAPWASHA
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Zambia is ready for influx of refugees, says Shikapwasha
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Monday, November 24, 2008 10:03:54 AM
CHIEF government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha has said Zambia is ready to welcome refugees from the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In an interview in Lusaka on Friday, Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, described the situation in DRC as fluid.
“It’s a fluid situation; naturally it will affect Zambia, a number of refugees will start trickling to Zambia and we have to work out a situation where the United Nations under the UNHCR [United Nations High Commission for Refugees] should be able to help looking after the refugees,” said Lt Gen Shikapwasha who until last week was minister of home affairs, a ministry which is also responsible for the refugees’ welfare.
“There are already mechanisms that Zambia has had, as you know this is not the first time Zambia will be looking after Congolese refugees. There are measures in Northern Province, Luapula Province and North Western Province to accommodate some of the Congolese refugees that may want to come to Zambia.”
He expressed optimism that the war in DRC would soon be resolved.
“The international community and the AU [African Union] are working on DRC issue. As you saw the former president of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo being assisted by the former president of Tanzania Mr [Benjamin] Mkapa are working together to try to bring solutions to DRC,” Lt Gen Shikapwasha said.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha observed that there were inroads that had been made to find a solution to the DRC war crisis.
He said Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries were still discussing the possibilities of sending peacekeepers to the DRC.
“I think it [the deployment of peacekeepers] is not yet concluded. It is still being worked on,” said Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
Rebels loyal to renegade General Laurent Nkunda have been fighting DRC President Joseph Kabila’s government, creating a humanitarian crisis that has forced thousands of civilians in eastern DRC to flee for safety.
Labels: DRC, LAURENT NKUNDA, REFUGEES, SHIKAPWASHA
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Shikapwasha justifies salary increments
Written by Agness Changala
Sunday, November 23, 2008 10:07:58 AM
INFORMATION minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha on Friday evening justified the recent salary increments for constitutional office holders and senior government officials, saying one cannot compare a President to a teacher.
Featuring on Muvi TV’s Tough Assignment programme, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the government was aware that the income for teachers and other civil servants were low.
However, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said
as the national cake grew, the government may increase other workers’ salaries and urged people to work hard to achieve that.When asked about the
huge gap in salaries that existed between senior government officials and civil servants such as teachers, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said it was unacceptable to compare a teacher’s salary to that of the President.
“A teacher is not President and I feel the comparison is out of way,” he said. “Why compare a teacher because he or she is not a President or minister?”
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said there was need to improve the poverty datum line and ensure that poverty was reduced.
He said it was unfair to ask politicians to tighten their belts and wait for another time to increase their salaries when all civil servants in the country had received an increment.
On concerns that the government wanted to exploit the people by increasing their salaries at the expense of the many suffering Zambians, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the people could not have elected the MMD into power if they knew that the leaders would exploit them.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the leaders in the government were there to serve the people of Zambia.
“…If these leaders were exploiting, the electorate themselves should not have voted for such people,” said Lt Gen Shikapwasha. “Some of them have left their businesses just to serve the people and saying they are in the government to exploit is not fair.”
Last week, Parliament approved three amended emoluments Bills that seek to increase salaries and allowances for constitutional office holders. The three Bills which were prior to the elections sent back to Parliament for amendment, are now ready for Presidential assent.
Labels: CABINET, SALARIES, SHIKAPWASHA
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Shikapwasha asks Sata not to politicise salary increments
Written by Patson Chilemba
Saturday, November 22, 2008 9:38:09 AM
CHIEF government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha yesterday asked Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata not to politicise the salary and allowance increments for constitutional office holders and senior government officials.
Reacting to Sata's statement that it was sad that President Rupiah Banda was provoking people with impunity over the salary increments just after a disputed election, Lt Gen Shikapwasha wondered what Sata was complaining about when his own members of parliament such as Dr Guy Scott [Lusaka Central], Chishimba Kambwili [Roan], Mumbi Phiri [Munali], Samuel Chitonge [Mwansabombwe], Obius Chisala [Chilubi], Yamfwa Mukanga [Kantanshi], Jean Kapata [Mandevu], Elizabeth Chitika [Kawambwa] and several others voted for the 15 per cent increment in emoluments.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha, who is also information minister, said Sata should be reminded that the increments were minimal and in line with the 15 per cent salary increments awarded to public service workers.
"If he says we should not increase, then we should not increase for all. But that would be abnormal. We should not politicise issues which are simple and meant to uplift the livelihood of the people of Zambia," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. "Yesterday in Kitwe, people wanted to demonstrate over the 15 per cent. Surely, Mr Sata can find better things to do than demonstrate over that. His own people have agreed, so how do you go ahead to demonstrate? So he cannot come out to incite people. All what he wants is to incite people. There is no need. If you are born to be president, you will be president. If God has chosen that you won't be president, then you won't be president."
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the reason for suggesting increments for public service workers was the same for all and that ministers went to the same markets as other people.
He said the government should in fact be commended for not increasing the emoluments beyond 15 per cent.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said Parliament should also be commended for reducing the perks that it initially approved.
"It's in line with what others are getting. The alternative is to refuse them the 15 per cent, and therefore you become unfair to them," Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. "It's not President Banda who has given the increase. They have said that we agree that if everybody gets 15 per cent, we will get 15 per cent."
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said of the 119 members of parliament who voted in favour of the Presidential Emoluments [Amendment] Bill, 23 were PF parliamentarians.
"The list of those that voted 'yes' include Bwalya, Colonel Gerry Chanda [Kanyama], Chisala, Chitonge, Kambwili, Kapata, [Mwansa] Kapeya [Mpika Central], [Joseph] Kasongo [Bangweulu], [Peter] Machungwa [Luapula], Mukanga, [Marjory] Masiye [Mufulira], Mumbi, Mwansa Ernest [Chifunabuli], [Jacob] Chongo [Mwense], Chitika, Chanda Percy [Kankoyo], Barnabas Chella [Wusakile]," he said.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the same PF parliamentarians, including Davis Mwila [Chipili] and Anson Simama [Kalulushi], voted in favour of the Ministerial and Parliamentary Office Holders [Emoluments] Amendment Bill.
On the Constitutional Office Holders [Emoluments] Amendment Bill, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said of the 119 parliamentarians who voted in favour, 22 were PF.
On Friday, Sata said there was tension in the country and that the salary increments and allowances would only aggravate the situation.
Sata said everything he said about President Banda during the presidential campaign was coming true and that deception on allowances was the beginning of President Banda's manifestation of his true colours.
In August, Cabinet approved salary and allowance increments for constitutional office holders and senior government officials.
Later, the government asked Parliament to backdate salary increments and allowances for the Vice-President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, ministers and other members of parliament to January 1, 2008.
The three Bills passed through Parliament and were ready for assent but then Vice-President Banda, during his election campaign launch, referred them back to Parliament.
Labels: SATA, SHIKAPWASHA
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Govt maintains prices for newly introduced passports
By Gillian Namungala
Sunday August 03, 2008 [12:51]
HOME Affairs minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha has maintained that the government will not reduce prices for the newly introduced passports. The 48-page passport will cost K500,000 while the 32-page one will be pegged at K300,000. Lt Gen Shikapwasha, in an interview, said the price for the new passport was justifiable because it was based on the high cost of printing materials that would be used. He said the government would spend huge sums of money on the materials for the new passports.
“The materials that we will be using are very expensive and government will be spending a lot of money, therefore the price is justifiable,” Lt Gen Shikapwasha said. “Government is actually subsidising because K500,000 and K300,000 is not even sufficient compared to what is going to be spent on the materials.”
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the new passports would be computerised and would bear security features that would not be forged.
About K6.5 billion is expected to be spent on the printing of the new passports.
Currently, one pays K72,000 to obtain a passport.
Home affairs permanent secretary Susan Sikaneta on Friday announced that a group from Germany would be in the country to start the process of issuing new passports.
Labels: PASSPORTS, SHIKAPWASHA
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Shikapwasha, Sondashi ready for Prof Chirwa
By Patson Chilemba and Lambwe Kachali
Friday May 23, 2008 [04:00]
MMD presidential aspirant Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha yesterday said he will meet Professor Clive Chirwa at the party's national convention. And Dr Ludwig Sondashi said his political experience will speak for itself at the MMD convention.
Commenting on Prof Chirwa's statement that he had gained enough ammunition to defeat all those who had declared their candidature to contest the MMD and later, the Republican presidency, Lt Gen Shikapwasha - who is also home affairs minister - said he would explain his vision for the nation at an opportune time.
Asked on his chances of scooping the MMD presidency, Lt Gen Shikapwasha responded: "Well, everybody going there at the convention, they are all thinking about chances. So we shall meet there."
And Sondashi said his intentions for the MMD and later Republican presidency would not be shaken by other presidential hopefuls.
Dr Sondashi said he was prepared for the MMD presidential race.
He said it was not the right time for him to say anything about Prof Chirwa because they were both fighting for the position under the same party.
Dr Sondashi said although Prof Chirwa was free to campaign and that only delegates at the convention would choose the best candidate to become the next president.
"All I can tell you is that I am in the race. So is Prof Chirwa. I am a formidable and experienced politician. I have made myself clear even before, so there is no need for me to say much but time will come," said Dr Sondashi.
On Thursday, Prof Chirwa said although some top government ministers and other high profile politicians had announced their intentions, he was ready to challenge them. Prof Chirwa said he was already on course in his strategic plan and was getting closer to the state of readiness and fitness needed for the 2011 general elections.
Labels: CLIVE CHIRWA, LUDWIG SONDASHI, SHIKAPWASHA
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Shikapwasha urges easier travel in Comesa region
By Maluba Jere
Saturday April 05, 2008 [04:00]
HOME affairs minister lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha has urged Comesa member countries to consider introducing a simple travel document to enable people travel more easily as is the case in the western world. Speaking when he officially opened the third meeting of ministers of home affairs of the Comesa region yesterday, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the move would go a long way in harmonising immigration practices.
“As we seek to deepen the integration of our region, we should take the opportunity to learn from the experiences of the other regional integration groupings,” he said. “It is a well known fact that one of the key successes of the European Union was the removal of all barriers to the movement of persons and labour in the region. The success of that programme creates a sense of community belonging.”
Lt Gen Shikapwasha also said he was aware that considerable progress had already been made by Comesa in the free movement of goods. He said the Free Trade Area was now covering 14 member states.
He said removing restrictions on the movement of people would enhance cross-border investment.
He noted that once restrictions to the movement of genuine travellers were removed, people would recognise that they were in the same economic zone.
“If a businessman is interested in going to country X but is told that he needs $50 or more, he will reconsider travelling to that country,” he said. “He or she would rather go to a country which is not in Comesa thereby defeating the reason why we are trying to integrate the region.”
Lt Gen Shikapwasha further said cooperation in migration matters would go a long way in facilitating the growth of the tourism sector.
“We are aware that managing migration well goes a long way in enhancing tourism. The tourism sector is currently one of the fastest growing areas,” he said.
And speaking at the same function, Comesa secretary general Erastus Mwencha said the FTA membership and value had expanded.
He said in terms of value, the FTA started off with $1 billion but currently had $25 billion while the membership had risen to 14 from the initial 2, with two others intending to join.
Mwencha also said it was important for member countries to sign the protocol in the free movement of goods and people.
“In signing the protocol we are aware of the sensitivity but believe that the protocol has provided mechanisms not to endanger the national security and minimise risks,” he said.
Labels: SHIKAPWASHA
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Shikapwasha wants to be MMD president
By Lambwe Kachali
Saturday January 19, 2008 [03:00]
HOME affairs minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha yesterday declared that he would contest the MMD presidency and thereafter succeed President Levy Mwanawasa as Republican president. And Lt Gen Shikapwasha said MMD presidential aspirants campaigning now were killing President Mwanawasa's initiatives of delivering to the people of Zambia.
In an interview, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said he would without reservations vie for the MMD presidency and was hopeful that he would become the next Republican president after President Mwanawasa.
He said he did not want to engage himself in the ongoing presidential debates because there was something in which he believed. Lt Gen Shikapwasha said currently he was working hard with President Mwanawasa to ensure that the MMD government succeeded. He said he would ensure that President Mwanawasa left office a happy and proud President.
He said if he became the next president in 2011, he would follow President Mwanawasa's footsteps as far service as delivery was concerned and ensure that the legacy and prosperity that he would leave behind for Zambia continued.
Asked why he was so confident about becoming the next president when there were so many presidential hopefuls within the MMD, Lt Gen Shikapwasha responded: "Just wait and see. Names for the presidential candidates are there and my name is on the list. I know what I am talking about, so just wait and see. I am going to contest and I am very much ready. Just wait, time is coming and everybody will know. Time will come to prove for yourself."
Asked further if he was a threat to first lady Maureen Mwanawasa as she had also been mentioned as one of those with presidential qualities, Lt Gen Shikapwasha:
"I am talking about myself and not others. I have said wait for time to come and you will prove that what I saying is right. Time will come to answer those questions. That's all I can say now."
And Lt Gen Shikapwasha said some presidential hopefuls who have started their campaigns were hindering President Mwanawasa initiatives to deliver effectively to the people of Zambia. He said although every MMD member was free to contest positions of their choice, it was important that they took into account their role and obligations to Zambians.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said he had no time to waste because Zambians wanted development in all sectors of life.
Meanwhile, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said Zambia had continued to lose millions of money through copper theft, especially on the Copperbelt. He said the anti-copper theft squad would not rest until such crimes in the country were eliminated.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha was commenting on the latest alleged copper thefts by Chinese nationals on the Copperbelt. He said there was need for people to educate themselves about the repercussions of theft.
Labels: MMD, PRESIDENCY, SHIKAPWASHA
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I'm not ashamed to deal with Taiwan, says Sata
By Bivan Saluseki
Thursday November 01, 2007 [03:00]
I am not ashamed to deal with Taiwan, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata has said. Addressing a press conference yesterday, Sata said it was only an idiot who would auction Zambia for US $50,000.
"It would be an idiot who would auction Zambia for US $50,000 because I can go to Mr Wynter Kabimba and he can give me because lawyers get money in dollars. To sell Zambia for US $50,000! The person who has been selling Zambia is Ronnie Shikapwasha who has been issuing work permits to unqualified Chinese and today it has been qualified by Mr George Katili Mpombo. They are trying to divert attention," he said.
Sata, who on Tuesday night returned from the United States where he had gone to discredit China in favour of Taiwan, claimed that the current government was very corrupt although he could not justify this claim.
"They are so corrupt, when they see Sata asking for US $50,000...I could have even asked for a million but US $50,000... and all you need to do is go to South African Airways and find out the cost of an ticket," he said.
Sata said he took very strong exception to reports in The Post that he wanted to sell Zambia.
"In 2000, I met people from Taiwan. The government of Frederick Chiluba was very close to recognising the government of Taiwan but it was new in government. They succumbed to intimidation by Chinese that if you recognise Taiwan, we are going to pull out so they left it from there but that was a collective responsibility.
Cabinet agreed, the whole government agreed," Sata said. "In 2001, when I broke away, I broke away with my thinking of this country. The few friends who we went away with...I must admit it was not easy to convince this man (pointing to Guy Scott) about Taiwan."
Sata said he was a moving billboard for The Post because if he was not appearing in The Post, The Post did not sell.
"So The Post has become our regional organisation secretaries. Even if I am not here, they keep the fire burning. I am very grateful to The Post and I am very grateful to The Post again where they have printed here our Chinese defence minister George Mpombo and they are showing that 43 years, whilst he is defending the Chinese, the people in Mandevu are parading for water," he said.
Sata said despite being invited by Harvard University in July 2007, PF realised that the government was uncomfortable.
"We did realise as a party that this government is very uncomfortable for anybody who goes to disturb their master because Zambia is a province of China. We kept it to ourselves. We did not want anybody to know until at the last minute," he said.
Sata said Scott and PF spokesperson Given Lubinda had been to Taiwan for a week to attend an economic forum.
"That again we didn't advertise because we know what's going on. Now I am not shamed. In here, I have a young man called Wynter Kabimba. This young man remembers. I was not even a councillor. I was just a mere branch chairman when I discovered South Korea.
Kenneth Kaunda was a gentleman and a humanist. When I came here fighting for the rights of South Korea, Kaunda did not call me names," Sata said. "Kaunda did not even accuse me of getting money from South Korea. Kaunda even accepted Zambia, KK 11 to go to South Korea to go and play a friendly match. And today, if you go on the streets, there are only two vehicles, that is Japan and South Korea and Mr Sata is not a shareholder in any of the South Korean companies."
Sata said Korean and Japanese companies had provided employment to Zambians and offered quality goods.
"Everything including the electronics which The Post newspaper is using is from South Korea. I take strong exception for all the allegations. For example, I take strong exception from a Catholic priest Fr Frank Bwalya when he is doubting my integrity.
Fr Bwalya knows very well there is no Catholicism in China so I don't know, probably he wants to go back to MISA," he said.
Sata said Fr Bwalya should know that in Taiwan, there were only four Catholic universities.
"What surprises me is the MMD government and The Post newspaper. Every time there is an election, they form an unholy alliance. Last year, The Post serialised everyday the editorials.
They did all negative editorials but thank God, the people they were trying to aim at did not accept them. They did not vote for them and now what is going on, all the serialisation by The Post, all the sensationalisation by The Post is to support MMD, to divert the attention from Nchanga, from Chimumbwa's problem who wants to sell copper which he doesn't dig and which he hasn't got so they would like to transfer these things to Michael Sata," he said.
Sata thanked Zambia's High Commissioner in London for helping him when he allegedly 'lost' his passport.
"We need more people like that man in London because when I went to them, I reported that my passport had mysteriously been misplaced.
He brought his two officers together and I found two permanent secretaries in his office, Lewanika and Imbwae and he said we will hold on to this meeting until we finish with Mr Sata so that he can get back to Zambia. I am also very grateful to our London supporters who were also supporters of Levy Mwanawasa who paid 3000 Pounds to buy me a ticket. I was going to Taiwan by economy but they bought me a business class ticket to bring me back to Zambia to come and get my passport," Sata said.
"I am grateful to the British government, I’m grateful to the American government who within five hours they gave me the necessary visa for me to get back to America. If my own government cannot protect me, then you start wondering, do we have a government? Our own government in Namibia is supposed to protect Zambians in Namibia then you have the so-called Chinese ambassador occupying Zambian offices condemning our own lecturers when our Namibian government has not complained, then you know how much they have eaten."
Sata said the government should not be very jittery because it was the Chinese he was complaining about. He said it was surprising that acting information minister George Mpombo kept on defending Chinese interests in Zambia including Malawi instead of their representatives.
"At Harvard, I was talking about Chinese investment in Zambia. I have had so many invitations to go to China but I have refused," he said.
"Zambia has become a labour camp. Most of the Chinese are prisoners of conscience. I want any investment but not Chinese human beings. Why should China have a development zone in Zambia? Where is the American development zone? Where is the British development zone?"
Sata said Zambia was not at war with Taiwan for him to be refused from dealing with it.
"If I went to Taiwan and it's at war, they would say, 'why are you collaborating with an enemy'?" he said.
Sata said he had nothing against Chinese individuals. He said what Zambia needed was technology from China.
Sata said some people were even condemning the High Commissioner to UK who saw his national (Sata) in distress in London. He said if he was embarrassed in London, it was Zambia which could have been embarrassed.
Sata said Zambians should speak out.
"So wake up! Me, I’m just providing leadership. I don't hate Chinese, I hate the way they are invading Zambia," he said.
Sata said God had stopped creating countries and Zambia was for Zambians.
"God gave Chinese their own country. God so it fit to give us copper and everything which is here, so they should be proud of what God gave the Chinese," he said.
Sata said he would continue with the fight for the protection of Zambia and the party had radical people like Chishimba Kambwili and others who were ready to take on the mantle. He said there was no corruption in his dealings.
"Because The Post, they have spent so much money trying to find where I hid stolen money but they can't find. The Post have gone all over the world, they have not found anything," he said.
Sata said Post managing editor Amos Malupenga was working against him by writing bad editorials.
"The biggest problem we have is our reporters, including The Post. I called comrade Malupenga from Boston to say they practice their vocabulary on me when they write editorials. They say I have a gun, I have been given guns by Taiwan to shoot who, I don't know. They say PF u-turns. I read from Boston from Daily Mail. We have not refused to go and attend the National Constitutional Conference," he said.
Asked why he has asked the Taiwanese government to transfer the US $50,000 through his personal account and not the PF account, Sata said there was nothing wrong with that. He said it was normal for him to ask for PF money and ask for the same to be channelled through his personal account. Sata said money could be gotten from different countries using different accounts.
And asked to comment on Metropolitan police statement that he had not reported to them about his missing passport contrary to what he said last week, Sata accused the Metropolitan police of being behind the loss of his passport.
"Is it The Post newspaper to which I am supposed to subscribe when my passport is lost? Is it The Post I am supposed to satisfy? I am supposed to satisfy the passport office in London," he said.
Sata said The Post and Metropolitan police in London wanted a cover-up over his missing passport.
"So it's a dead issue for The Post to try and tarnish Michael Sata. It's very costly for a person to come, get to London, get back, get a passport," he said.
Sata said he did not want to suspect The Post as being part of his missing passport.
He said the Metropolitan police did not ask him similar questions like The Post.
"Whether The Post or Mr Malupenga wanted, if I went to Metropolitan police, the person was going to say 'we will wait for the report of the police, then we can give you another passport'. So please tell Mr. Malupenga, we know he has some sympathies with the Mwanawasa government but I am far much intelligent and faster than Mwanawasa's government," said Sata.
Labels: SATA, SHIKAPWASHA, TAIWAN
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