Some Zambians have taken to Twitter and Facebook to show outrage after the Telegraph newspaper published an article about a new book authored by a young Scottish Lady in which she describes Zambia as a war torn country with children orphaned by HIV.
Louise Linton, a Scottish lady who is now pursuing a career as an actress in California has written a book titled ‘In Congo’s Shadow’ about her brief stay in Zambia as a volunteer.
In a Telegraph article, as an 18-year-old, Louise, a former pupil of the prestigious Fettes College came to Africa with hopes of helping some of the world’s poorest people but that her gap year became a living nightmare when she inadvertently found herself caught up in the fringes of the war in Congo during her stay in Zambia.
She went on to describe what the Tutu and Hutsu rebels would do to the ‘skinny white Muzungu with long angel hair’ if they found her.
A line in her book reads: “Life was idyllic at first, a gap year student’s dream. My new home was beautiful and I made close friendships with the local Bemba people. I learned some of their language, planted a vegetable garden and created a little school under a Mukusi tree, writing about my experiences in my diary. I was still struggling with the loss of my mother and found special comfort in my bond with Zimba, a six-year-old orphan girl with HIV who called me “Ru-eese”.
But some Zambians ripped into her book and trolled her on Twitter and asked her to apologise for painting the country black.
Her Twitter handle @LouiseLinton and a hashtag #LintonLies was full of Zambians expressing anger about her book with other asking her to recall any of the copies sold.
Muchemwa Sichone @WriteRevolt said in her entire story, Louise Linton only mentions one child, an orphan living with HIV. Trying to stereotype Africa Huh? #LintonLies.
Some said Louise has brought sadness among Zambians when she revealed the HIV positive status of an innocent young girl named Zimba.
Some said on Twitter, “I haven’t read the book but the excerpts that I’ve read are disturbing and wrong. #LintonLies Child soldiers at Road blocks??? While other commented, “Absolutely shameful & embarrassing book you wrote about Zambia”
Others have asked Information Minister Chishimba Kambwili to issue a statement and ask the Scottish Government to apologise for what they called a misrepresentation of facts about Zambia.
she stayed in zambia unfortunately she did not know the difference between congo and zambia. stupid white girl
She is not very far from the truth
I read the excerpt i think she was right. She was in a border area with Congo and boarder areas are prone to attacks, like it was the case during her stay.
Charlotte Scott shall talk to the girl.
when i tell you umusungu temunobe, you call me racist. Every white person is a racist. the sooner you understand the better for you. And i can prove my claims. perhaps some of you need to read Neely fuller jr’s book,” The United Independent Compensatory Code System Concept a textbook/workbook for Thought, Speech and/or Action for Victims of Racism (white supremacy)”. Unless you really understand what racism really is, everything you think you know will only confuse you.
Write to her Publisher and get the book pulled off shelves.
I think she was completely off from the truth. She was very dishonest. The place is worse than she describes. The capital city has affluent flowing at Kulima tower and you are eating food normally around faeces. Even in war people keep faeces hidden. Zambians are dirtier then Bangladesh scum dwellers now. include killings and violence, its war torn. what description do you want. How will you get better if the current situation is paradise as some bloggers state. Then I don’t want to even imagine. God wash these Zambians hands and feet to save them from diseases. Now prayer will be needed. Thanks
@ zagaze
I have not red the book, but assuming that all stated by LT in the article is true, and she is either liar, show-off or racist, your ranting “contribution” does not make you lesser racist. Actually, you are just like one of them. Intelligence, 1mbecility, 5tupidity and racism are not exclusive traits of “White” or “Asian” or “Arab” or “Black”. Dogmatism and reality are on the opposite end of life.
@natural justice – tell me how am i racist. how do you define racism? i think you dont understand my friend, just like most people of african descent.
This is girl is an ignorant illiterate. Why not write about the miserable lives of most Scottish people who for centuries been ruled by the English. Scotland only sees the sun for 3 months the entire year.
I am sure she means the war between UPND and PF. Correct me, about twelve lives have been lost?
Not different from hh who demonizes a country he wants to lead to the outside world.
@maria she was narrating what she saw in Congo no Zambia. Unless UPND is fighting PF in Congo also.
At best of my knowledge, 17???
The truth hurts. She didn’t even visit UTH, Or Leopards Hill Cemetery, or Bauleni Compund, the book would have been worse.
The the truth is our people are living in a deplorable state, probably the worst in the world in a non-war torn country.
@Maria you clearly haven’t read the article, and I think that’s what she was banking on – Zambians not reading it.
HH and his carders are happy about what that stupid Scottish girl has painted black about Zambia. It’s in HH’s DNA to demonise his country whenever he travels abroad.
I will comment once I finish reading this book. It’s on sale in iBooks only $8.99. I will come back to it.
And who are you supporting once you purchase the book??
@ Jay Jay
If you want to understand, either you pay, or make ranting comment
The title itself says it all…this book should be placed in the “comedy fiction” section of the shelf if it ever makes it to the Public library. Where near Zambia’s borders; do you find “Hutu-Tutsi conflict in neighboring Congo began to escalate and then spill over into Zambia with repercussions all along the lake”…really laughable.
Damn, this “little Blondy” is a liar! Which country did she really go to? Zambia or DRC? She seems confused describing either of the two countries.
When did SAVANA GRASSLAND, which is typically what you find in Zambia, turn into a RAIN FOREST JUNGLE CRAWLING WITH REBELS? This is the problem with SNOBBISH PREVALEGED LITTLE WHITE GIRLS who spend just a little time in Africa. They all want to act like EXPERTS on the problems afflicting African Countries. God have mercy!
If she stayed in a village in Zambia for less than 12 months (which is what a ‘gap year’ usually takes,) she should have confined her writing to those experiences instead of trying to make her stay sound so DRAMATIC and DANGEROUS for nothing but to try and sell a book to the UNINFORMED “Bazungus”. In fact, it…
Some *****s are so shallow how come HH the incoming presido gives you sleppless nights. What the young Lady said is very true i cannot Argue it 100 percent true
Gosh your an *****. Were have you seen a child soldier in Zambia or a roadblock of child soldiers in Zambia??
When KK,despite having a good rapport with Jimmy Carter cancelled the Peace Corps programme it is this type of misinformation and the likelihood of volunteers being used for spying especially that we had a delicate security situation in the country. There is no need to sue any foreign government here per se but use our GRZ machinery to gather legal facts and sue the “stupid ***** white girl” and the Publisher. These are things where government has to step up and outdo the propaganda being peddled by some cheap ill informed character who believes that “Africans are things to be toed around with!”. I read the excerpts yesterday on this very website and it is really disturbing to see such falsehoods where the ***** could not even tell DRC facts apart from Zambia’s real issues!
A foreigner insults your country and instead of addressing the situation calmly, you start insulting each other on party lines! I know for a fact that a lot of non-Zambians overseas read this blog. Imagine what they think of us after reading your comments. Guys please, even your stupidity must have a limit?
You are a light at the end of a tunnel. Some of these unemployed migrants are so frustrated with Brexit that all they know are insults. Go back home and smell loadshedding.
Well said. The concept of united we stand divided we fall seems really foreign to Zambians. How can some stupid bottom of the deepest pile of prehistoric frog crap little girl insult your country and your response is then to insult each other. FO0L!SH!!!
The fact that she moved to Hollywood, California, trying to break into the movie Industry, it certainly wouldn’t be far fetched to think that she simply created this fake drama and embellished her experiences in Zambia/Congo (hard to tell at this point which one) in order to give her book some HOLLYWOOD EFFECTS—because that’s what sells in this part of the world!
In the hope that some Movie Director in Hollywood might read the book and turn it into a blockbuster movie which would make her millions, she had to write WHAT USUALLY SALES IN HOLLYWOOD AND THE WESTERN WORLD ABOUT AFRICA—the darker and primitive the story narrative sounds, the more interest it generates and, the closer to the truth it must be in the minds of a lot of these uninformed baZUNGUS—does TARZAN ring a…
@10,yambayamba, the very reason she should face litigation or some form of correction to set the record straight that she is creating falsehoods out of perceived “charity” to make a fortune for herself! As Africans, we have been abused and used for a long time to make others richer at the expense of our dignity and general well being! At times we should try to hold some of these nincompoops to accountable!
I have read the article above and her quoted statements, but I an’t find anything wrong or offensive in the article as presented above. Could you actually give the quotes of the offensive excerpts because you have not documented them above. Perhaps someone please post the entire book for us to read or read it and tell us what it actually says.
Your low level of reasoning is really exposed here…..
Continue…
…baZUNGUS—does TARZAN ring a bell?
So it is hard to totally blame the girl.She is simply playing into the false narratives, negative prejudices and stereotypes Westerners have held about Africa for centuries. Good job Blondy!
The best way to critique a book or an account of something is to write YOUR OWN experiences about the situation in question. Insults and negative comments will not lead anyone anywhere!
The young lady has given HER opinion, why don’t those with strong feelings give their proper account as well than resort to insults!
If this was simply her “uninformed” opinion, or if she clearly stated that the book is a piece of “fiction”, she would certainly be forgiven. But presenting this “fake” story as the “actual” experience she had during her stay in Zambia is simply JAW DROPPING to say the least.
First of all, just the numerous mistakes she makes trying to blend the two, totally different and separate Countries (Zambia and what she calls Congo) and their experiences in terms of WAR and PEACE, is simply a BRILLIANT piece of FANTASY WORK on its own. But to present this product of her FERTILE IMAGINATIONS as factual is both intellectual dishonest and unforgivable in this day and age.
Agree 100%. Zambians and Africans are always reactive, indicating a lack of creativity. In strategy training and practice, you are better off negotiating from your text rather than the opponent’s.
Nsimbi, many of us have responded and provided factual information that discredits her account of what really happened in the NE of Zambia when she was there as a GAP student.
You guys have to calm down. Read the book first before reacting hysterically. It is, however, true that some parts of our country have become lawless. Let’s be honest t ourselves and deal with our situation, rather than pretend that all is well. HIV is rife, although ARVs make it look as if we’ve turned the tide back. Look at the rate of attrition amongst family, friends and colleagues. Be honest, if we have to deal effectively with our problems. Let’s not harass someone for calling us out!
This tell you a lot about the publishers who publish without getting all the facts and claims straight. She never did any research about the topics in the book but instead she observed a few thing and jumped to conclusions. I actually think she made up many things altogether. Poor reasoning!
Sue the publishers
She was in Bembaland, it is not surprising that she had a bad stay among crooks, violent people inShiwangandu, immoral and shameleess corrupt and thieving monkeys. She wrote nothing but the truth
@16,Timwenge.. shameful you and poorly informed creature! I believe with that flag you may not even be in the USA and if you are then you are not black for you could have been a lot wiser. Then you could have known that for whites all blacks are the same and they derogatorily refer to them as ” monkeys” so you calling Bembas as monkeys is just a show of your shallowness and stupidity. If there are some corrupt Bembas then just show who they are instead of insulting the whole lot!There are violent people and peaceful ones from all corners of the globe- shiwang’andu could be the Mapatizya of Northern province!. In Zambia all ethnic groups are important and numbers count. See how HH is grovelling for the Bemba votes after you have been calling them thieving monkeys- wish him luck!
Sad as it may sound this is what the majority of western guys look at Zambia and Africa at large. Its our responsibility to present our country in a positive way and be patriotic about our nation. Lets not support cheap talks or articles because you don’t support current or upcoming regime.
Victoria falls how can we represent our country better when we vote for a drunkard convicted thief barred by LAZ for stealing a poor widows pension money.
100/100
This is typical “muzungu” mentality, first of all Zambia is not Africa, Zambia has many tribes but all live together, we were once bombed in the 1960’s, we are a multi-part country, we have no BREXIT and above all we are a God fearing country. If I may ask, which country did you actually go to? I think you all the warm people of Zambia an appology! Shame on YOU! This is far away from the truth. If you were looking on scadalizing a country, you picked the wrong one! Shame on YOU!
She may have a point but the article is constipated with turgid prose and thorough development deficiency.
She had a good idea and good points to write about an African country, but she failed to do her research. Remember she is only 18 and in the West, students are told lies about Africa. When some western people visit Zambia, they are shocked to see shopping malls, banks with marble floors and houses with pools and indoor toilets. Once I was asked by a visitor: they said “what is is all this, houses with marble and granite floors, so why do Zambians try to live like Westerners? Why are you copying a western life style? All these people driving car, living in big gardens with swimming pools and having maids and servants?” I tried to explain that not all Zambians are poor, 10% of Zambians are self-made millionairs. On the other hand, not all Zambians are well off, some live in poverty, and…
Louise Linton just wanted to write a silly book she could sell to show others that she had travelled and she has a story to back it up
With poverty in excess of 60% is the situation not similar to that of a war zone? Young girls are surviving on prostitution because there are no opportunities for them. Successive governments have failed to develop the country. PF has made the economic situation worse! Just visit the many shanty townships in Lusaka, starting with Misisi for proof and other parts of the country and you will realize the situation is not very different from that of countries that have been at war!
Just visit Lumumba road and see if you will not embarrassed by the chaotic situation similar to that of a country that has been at war!
I have read the article. I have not read the book. Nothing in the article suggests anything demeaning or degrading of Zambia. She speaks about HER experiences. Do you want her to write like the Daily Mail (or perhaps The Post when they are on your side)??? I would like to hear from Zimba, from the bay where she stayed and from the other witnesses who could discount or back up her story. Only then will I join the hash-tags…
Long wait anticipated!
I bet that our dear Doctor ( twice) and Minister of Miss-information Kambwili will add his enlightening comment first?
If you really are following the whole story you would see that many people, including myself, have provided factual information to discredit her account of what happened to her.
Zambians outraged by book by a young Scottish lady that depicts the country as war torn and HIV ravaged
Posted On : July 5th, 2016 | Updated On : July 5th, 2016
louise linton
louise linton
Some Zambians have taken to Twitter and Facebook to show outrage after the Telegraph newspaper published an article about a new book authored by a young Scottish Lady in which she describes Zambia as a war torn country with children orphaned by HIV.
Louise Linton, a Scottish lady who is now pursuing a career as an actress in California has written a book titled ‘In Congo’s Shadow’ about her brief stay in Zambia as a volunteer.
In a Telegraph article, as an 18-year-old, Louise, a former pupil of the prestigious Fettes College came to Africa with hopes of helping some of the world’s poorest…
This lady probably thought no one from Zambia and Africa at large would read her book, because clearly her picture of this place is not up to par, she was trying to sell a story to some big shot directors (she’s an actress) but unfortunately it has backfired.
Dont be so thin skinned you dwibs…so what if she tells it as she saw it???? Write your own books and tell a nice self deceiving story about Zambia.I hope you dont forget to mention the ritual murders, the high HIV prevalence @ 10% of the population, the fact that we are the 3rd hungriest country in the world and the unprecedented political violence which has ended 14 innocent lives.Whilst you are at it,also paint a rosy picture about the endemic and institutionalised corruption which has ravaged our poor citizens causing high levels of generational poverty.GROW UP!!!
Don’t even deceive yourself or get carried away. It’s common sense that Zambia is not a war torn country. The numbers you’re giving indicate something but the young girl failed to even try to get simple facts from relevant authorities. It’s no writing a book off wikipedia rhetoric!
100/100
waste of time. controversy sells. you are unwittingly helping her market her book.
That’s what we get as a Country for failing to market ourselves. Many of these Europeans don’t know the difference between african nations, some even thing Africa is a country. Before we crucify this ignorant lady, let’s check on our own people; does everyone know what constitutes United Kingdom Country-wise! And guys Plz where is PF and UPND coming from in this topic?
Oh, forgot to mention; @ Musonda Mutale that’s a very good point. We shudnt deceive ourselves. Things are Messy!
She is Guy Scott’s grand daughter. What do you expect.
Some comments on this feed! Yuck! Must everything be politicised? As if HH or ECL will give you free food when they win. This is about Zambia, be above it! Sha!
She is a BITCH!!!!!!
You don’t need to read the book to realise that Zambia is like a war torn country. Our roads in cities and highways have for a long time been like a country which has gone through war. Yet countries which have gone through war like Rwanda are doing better than us. No need to roast the 18 yr old. She has described the truth about Zambia and truth hates. Look at faces of many Zambians on youtube & you’ll be shocked how they’re looking because HIV-Aids and more poverty brought by PF
she was 90% right. the child soldier issue is what spoiled her book, otherwise hiv/aids is a real issue which we must work on countrymen and women. poverty is also real in zambia.
Hey.. this gal was ditched by a night pirater driver she was flirting with. She is jst venting out after spending her time drinking at the border towns. Trying to justify her staying. Most of th time she wz on drugs…..what do u expect.
The only way she will apologize to the nation is by her getting married to me.Mukalete kuno nkope…
when you are living a middle class life in zambia you may think thus what zambia is . Please just travel around the country you will know what this is lady is talking about. I have had an opportunity of traveling throughout zambia in most impoverished areas where there are no passable road , isoka ,muyombe, chama , ngwezi ,luangwa valley, chitungulu , mkomazi gwembe where there is absolute no clinic ,no toilets, no safe drinking water to just to make living sustainable. yet you want to criticise and you have not even been there were this lady has been to. As a zambian am doing some soul searching seeing how the HIV has ravaged my country.This country has a long way to go because of our attitude as zambians. I will urge all zambians to examine themselves through this lens this Lady…
Blonde chick comes to Zambia, gets high on Zambian weed from chibolya and starts seeing lions, gorillas, huge hairy spiders, armed rebels, and i don’t know what else. She could even detect HIV in a child…..who sold her the weed??!!! DEC ought to know about this
Get off DRUGS white gal…
She is a stupid liar Abasungu babufi sana
This comment section is a mess. First off, of course she lied about where she was. For all those who are comparing Zambia to a country at war, I urge you to refrain from that comparison until you’ve actually lived in a country at war. It’s much, much, much worse than having trash on some roads and young women working as sex workers. The security services and police are frightening, not just annoying; crime increases as the police and military don’t get paid or political divisions increase; imported goods cost more because the transport is unsafe, etc. Someone even mentioned Rwanda as doing better than Zambia…no, it’s not. There’s good reason to believe they’ve been falsifying their economic data, and a large percentage of the population is in prison, the president orders political…
assassinations, and freedom of speech is not protected. Second, it seems odd that people are calling for her to be sued; it’s not libel against an individual, so that wouldn’t work legally. Also, think of what that could lead to: People getting sued for not getting the facts right about Zambia, which could then be anyone who criticizes the country. Just don’t buy the book, and write a letter of complaint to the publisher, if there is one. I think she may have self-published. This book isn’t going to become a big success, many people in the UK and other Western countries would know how rubbish it is without reading it. No need for this section to devolve into rantings against different tribes and races.