Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda has expressed extreme disappointment and described the act to secretly record him during a private conversation as exceedingly immoral.
Mr. Chikwanda said that he is of the view that secretly recording him is not legally permissible and is a departure from ethics.
He however said that he is not inclined to take legal action and has called for decency from the Post newspaper.
Mr. Chikwanda has said the Post would gain more by promoting unity instead of spreading hatred and malice.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chikwanda described his relationship with President Michael Sata as the most intimate and he will continue to work with him for the development of the country.
And the minister said that at no time did he direct the Zambia Revenue Authority to raid the Post newspaper offices.
Mr. Chikwanda said that he does not take part in the running of ZRA and has no scores to settle with the Post.
PAZA is misleading the public by saying The Post is a media house and therefore has defacto right to evade tax and engage in immoral activities.
People forget The Post is an operation that includes an ISP, courier service and transport services. Why shouldn’t they be treated like untouchables?
Also funny to note how desperate they are these days to sell there papers. So much so that they are using photos of naked women to move the sales.
Think the man has surrendered ,they warned ,they will wipe him out from the political scene.Think they have more dirt on him.
Keen speaks sense. But for me I will add that the Post is not media. It is a political organ. It is a tool that politicians like Fred mmembe use to further their megalomanic ambitions
ba chikwanda mwatina tefyo. Sometimes you fight not for yourself but for others, we expected you to fight this one not necessarily for you but for the zambians at large. someone called you a statesman before and we expect more from you, you have to deal with the post so that you make an example of people who hack unless you are afraid. And we know the latter is true, they have dirt on you and you are also afraid that the proceedings in court concerning this saga would put a lot of things at stake with you and your colleagues in pf.buti father luonde and that unza lecturer mwabshukila te?the post have dealt you.ati intimate relationship with the president, are y’all africans gay? chikwanda you are not a statesman, you cant pull that nonsense on some of us.we see through it all!!!
Looks like Chikwanda has chickened out and cowed with his tail under his legs. This was a slum dunk case and we know that Chikwanda has sued other people for much more trivial cases. So why pretending to play holy here?
But even if they had other dirty laundry on him, they wouldn’t have brought it to this case as doing so would have incriminating themselves further. As matter of fact this case would have stopped them from producing any alleged ‘dirty’ obtained illegally. And I wonder if they had anything more severe and more damaging as they would have released that instead of that lame recording that only made Chikwanda look good.
Bad move by the man they call ABC as I have just lost the admiration I got after the so called dirty recording.
Correction:
Why should they be treated like untouchables?******
” Mr. Chikwanda said that he is of the view that secretly recording him is not legally permissible and is a departure from ethics. ”
Not legally permissible, or not admissible in a court of law?
” He however said that he is not inclined to take legal action and has called for decency from the Post newspaper. ”
The Post is just doing it’s job, which is gather news.
It is time for Minister Chikwanda to resign, or face prosecution himself. He is costing the country and economy billions of dollars per year, by shielding the mining industry from taxation.
Iwe not stop barking a like a mad dog. Give us the whole data you yourself are shielding so we can prosecute him. ACC and the ZP do not prosecute on hearsay especially that which is spread through blogs. If you have any info please report to the relevant authorities period. Do you really anyone will take you serious on blogs?
Its both bawishi. Its illegal to record someone without their consent
The “Other person” on the line consented to the recording, he connived with The Post. That makes the recording legal. If they had just tapped into a private conversation, it would have been a crime and they would have been required to get a warrant, but this was consented to by one of the people on the line
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” Jesus is remembered to have said. Sir, your mouth is a loose canon. How sad you said what you said!
Whether ABC sues the post or not, this is a very serious matter with national security and legal implication. Therefore our security wings and judiciary should pursue this matter very seriously, charge and have the post prosecuted. We cannot take lightly a journalist illegally recording private conversations/thoughts of one of the most senior government official and casually posting it to the world (i.e. our enemies). Some of ABC’s thoughts were very intimate about our president, senior leaders, our state and running of our government, which could be used for immense detriment to us by the enemies of the country. An enemy could use this information to manipulate our government officials, cause economic sabotage etc.
This man is wise,the post was trying to start a fight with him knowing too well that they had some dirt on him,if ABC had hit back with legal action,the post would then go ahead and release the dirt they have on him.Unfortunately,the post may have to sit on ABC’s dirt for a long time if ABC continues being this wise.
In the landmark case of Liswaniso V The People (1976) Z.R. 277 approving Son of Kaniu v R [1955], the Supreme Court held that “…evidence illegally obtained, is, if relevant, admissible on the ground that such evidence is a fact (i.e. true) regardless of whether or not it violates a provision of the Constitution. But we wish to make it abundantly clear that any illegal or irregular invasions by the police or anyone else are not to be condoned and anyone guilty of such an invasion may be visited by criminal or civil sanctions…”
ABC does not sue as a matter of strategy. He wants to neutralise M’membe’s claim of malice aforethought. He wants the law to compel Fred to pay the ZRA and DBZ debt. That is where the war will be won. Fred is finished and he knows it!
I agree with Arthur Wina. Whether ABC sues is irrelevant. Whether the post has tax issues or not is irrelevant. Whether the Post has dirty on ABC is irrelevant. Whether they are in bed with Kabimba or whoever is irrelevant. What is relevant is are our institutions, security wings, judiciary etc. functional and safe guarding the integrity and future of our country regardless of who the actors are ABC, Mmembe, Lungu, XXXX or YYYY ….
I agree with Arthur Wina and Kenyatta. The main issues are that of criminality of the action taken by the post of illegally recording a private conversation and even more serious, tax evasion.
Tax evasion by the Post affects all of us Zambians and its a matter beyond redemption at this stage. Even the Presidents prerogatives of mercy excludes pardoning tax evaders. Even if the current Government decides to burry this issue, I urge the opposition to capitalize on the tax evasion issue and make sure this is among the top ten assignments the new government accomplishes i.e collection of the evaded tax by whatever means, not excluding seizure of assets and prosecution of the culprits.
Don’t you need a warrant from the prosecutor to record someone or to search someone’s house?Whoever recorded must be very ignorant!
No!this is very unethical of the post.They must be brought to justice.News of the world in UK is still facing charges over their phone hacking activities.Their paper just closed down.Of course they also had political connections just like the post.Some politicians even paid them to boost their ratings.They went too far and almost cost the political career of Cameron because everybody thought they were in bed with him!
If tax-evading Post can pull this off on a senior GRZ official, imagine how easy a spy’s job must be in Zambia… Must be reading GRZ like a book.
How did they manage to sneak a bug in the Minister’s house? All senior grz houses should be swept for these bugs. Phone communications encrypted. If communication is sensitive, use an old time typewriter. It’s what the Russians do.
OP. Military. Police. Wake up. Protect our government and ensure privacy of all senior government officials.
If they had any dirty on him before the recording then there was no need to record him. If you live in glass houses don’t throw stones.
The end justify the means.
More popcorn please the drama never ceases!If HMCS is not able to attend and Kalaba is attending the UN meetings,then one will ask where is HMCS going?
M’membe has been behaving like a woman scorned. He shouldn’t be taken seriously again. He isn’t professional and his ethics are questionable, not to mention a touch of stup!dity too, how else do you describe a person who threatens to go public with an illegal recording?! Zambia is really teeming and awash with all sorts charlatans and other undesirables.
I told you ABC will not sue because of the skeleton in the closet. He is a corrupt man and what the post did was not illegal. It is called a sting and he fell for it. Most of you do not remember when the post called Chiluba a thief and NEVER sued. Why? Because the Post had evidence that he was a thief. So is ABC, a very corrupt man!
@Kimbaguist, you say, “Most of you do not remember when the post called Chiluba a thief and NEVER sued. Why?” You are right, because what some of us remember is that the DPP instructed the post to arrest Dipak Patel, Edith Nawakwi, Fred M’membe and Bevan Saluseki. The quartet went into hiding but were eventually arrested and charged with defaming the president.
Earlier, Chiluba had indicated that he was considering suing anyone who had called him a thief. (But of course he did not need to because the system took care of that!). The rest, as they say, is history…
…instructed the POLICE to arrest…
Sorry bane!
Ba yopa ba ABC…..Its not easy to fight Membe……!!!
Mmembe knocked out RB and who is Chikwanda ?
This is not an issue between ABC and Mmembe. It’s simply a national security and judicial matter. If we allow it. We set very dangerous precedent for anarchy. R u going to arrest HH if he records the VP, Chief Justice, Army Chief ….. list goes on
The paper that digs deeper……
all u are spineless.u think membe easy like kabimba.mwanya.from blogs membe is death to all u.viva membe
We as a nation have failed ourselves miserably for having allowed this dirty cartel to continue holding successive Govts to ransome.
Nomba to be practical ,lets have a ka good French red wine….oh my,
Shouldn’t this man be looking after grand children instead of being in government all these years…talk about people who hav been looked after by tax payers from time immemorial.
Chi Chikwanda Chikens Chillily!
The post has out lived its value,it’s not worth wasting energy on
The knives are out. Mmembe should finish off Chikwanda so that PF know who is the boss. These Bemba ingrates should be taught a lesson.
Chikwanda was a victim of a ‘sting’ operation. This practice, immoral as it may be, happens all the time, in all manner of scenarios. All politicians and other highly vulnerable people should do is be wary of the so-called trusted friends, sources and confidants. They all have prices!
You are right. Today, a junior minister in the British government resigned after a sting involving a newspaper. The married father of five sent intimate photos to a journalist believing she was Facebook ‘friend’. Picking a fight with a newspaper is always a risky undertaking.
Iwe ka Mukame – he didn’t send to a woman (it wasn’t a “she”); he sent those photos to a young man!!! That is what has made things even worse because he is a married guy with kids…
Fred Mmembe has done more harm to Zambia since surporting PF to rule zambia.He pretended to be pro-poor together with Sata while strongly surporting :tribalism,nepotism,polarism, corruption,lootism,graftism,…all sorts of bad governance! He has been singing Micheal-Micheal-Micheal-Micheal in his paper but insidiously crafting and looting our finite resources!He tarnished UPND’s image as being “TRIBAL” for years- leaving the TRUE TRIBAL PF! I’m really disappointed with the once most respected Mmembe hope he will be back on his feet soonest.BY THE WAY – I’m DONATING MY THREE VANS TO UPND FOR 2016 CAMPAIGNS! I’m reguesting all UPND surporters country wide especially my fellow underpaid civil servants to join hands and oust this failled PF LOOTING government! Our team will be boosted…
Two wrongs do not make a right. PF may be tribal but the fact still remains that UPND has stated that it is a vehicle for Tongas to State House. HH once proclaimed that he would become the last Tonga standing! He also said that it was not right only people from one tribe become presidents. It is always about tribe!
There is no need for Ba Chikwanda to waste his time taking disgraced Post Editor to court. Those recordings didn’t reveal anything incriminating against the old man just the musings of a political veteran. Mmembe’s days are numbered.
Amazing ABC cold feet! Mumembe must have him by balls!, or ABc is a chicken. Also shut drop case on DR mphande and luonde. However we want to see ZP quiz membe the secret recording, we people who have gone to prison for less
On what basis can the police quiz Mmembe? No one has reported him to the police. The police cannot act on hearsay when there is no complainant. Media reports are not complaints. Case closed. He has learnt a lesson not to pick up fights with the media. Remember Sata once boycotted the Post and called them all sorts of names when he lost elections to Mwanawasa. Sata got kicked in the nether region by the post and he had to make up very quickly before they could finish him off and hence the post supported him there after.
Of course you wont take legal action because you’re scared of The Post!
Well, how can he sue the post when he was recorded by the OP under the orders of his own nephew Sata? Secondly, he is scared of what else Fred has about him period.
Good move, Chikwanda. Never disturb an enemy when he is making a mistake. Furthermore, never hit a man when he is down. At the moment in more respects than one, The Post (Holdings) is flat on its back, exposed in blinding light for all the things it was doing in the cover of politically favored darkness. It is pay back time and trying to pick a fight must not sway the ZRA and other wings from getting what is legally due to the Zambians via their government! BADALA POST, BADALA!
Guilty as may be charged, I said those words, but I do not want to go to court, more might just be spilled. Coward, did we not tell you that you can’t fight the post? Are you stronger than the four past Presidents who failed? Are you foreign to the political history of Zambia?