The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today protested over threats from a prominent member of the Zambian ruling party to sack employees of the government-owned Zambia Daily Mail newspaper after they did not publish articles he wrote.
“We protest the intimidation tactics used by M. Mbita Chitala,” said Gabriel Baglo, the Director of the IFJ Africa office. “The Zambia does not need the media environment to be polluted at this painful period in its history. We call on the government, ruling party members and all political party leaders to make sure journalists can work in total freedom during the upcoming race for the successor to the late President, Levy Mwanawasa.”
On August 30, Mbita Chitala, a member of the campaign team of the ruling party’s candidate for the presidency, went to the headquarters of the Zambia Daily Mail demanding to know why stories he sent them were not published.
According to Nigel Mulenga, the acting deputy editor of the newspaper and also the Secretary General of the Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ), despite explanations from staff members, Chitala “warned reporters and editors that they risked being sacked because this was ‘a matter of life and death.’”
The IFJ is supporting the ZUJ, which has said that the era of “threats is long gone and we demand an apology from him.”
The IFJ is also calling on the government and the political parties to publicly vow to respect press freedom and editorial independence for all media.
SOURCE : International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
he obviously thinks daily is his house.
Ba Chitala….. There certainly must have been reasons…may be your articles were not worth publishing.
the headline should be on IFJ’s reaction not the one here because this is no longer news….LT you can do better than this……
Nkani yalula. Irregularities are not new in MMD. During Chiluba and Mwanawasa’s time was the same. Watch that Mbala boy.
Isn’t this Mbita Chitala the one who was removed from the Zambian Mission inLibya by the late President LP Mwanawasa?
Shame indeed on Mbita Chitala!
As for the Zambia Daily Mail, big-ups and keep it up.
Is this the people who want to continue governing us? Abash MMD
“Mwadya Mweka Daddies”
This is what Zambians are about to bring back by advocating for dictators to come bank and take office. This is the MMD that Mwanawasa tried time and again to change its face but unfortunately failed. He really tried but just died without progress. Now this behaviour is not only in the MMD, this behaviour is exactly the same expected from the likes of Sata and all those who once belonged to the MMD of Chiluba. It is only LPM who was the old one out. This is why I say again and again that Zambians will do themselves a great by voting HH in Octobers. VIVA HH!!! We don’t need such unprofessionism!!! Please people read the UPND manifesto and you will understand why we support it.
Go HH HH HH NOW!
In which capacity can Mr. Chitala have the employees sacked? Either the story is exaggerated or Mr. Chitala is ignorant.
I mean Zambians will do themselves a great favour by voting HH next month. The man wants to bring professionalism and not intimadation in places of work. Where on earth do you go and intimidate people despite their expalnation, are these hinestly the kind of leaders Zambia need? I really wonder what is wrong with us Zambians to even allow such thugs a chance to have power. We are now back in the Chiulba era were Castro could intimidate anyone but this time around it is Mbita Chitala, the man who survived death several times until he decided to change names from Derick to Mbita thinking that the name Derick brought him bad lucky. I rememner that criminals almost killed him except the gun..
Chitala got fired as for sending an e-mail to AU. Dude has gone berseck on daily mail,he needs a sanity check.
all the people to type below me are gay
Chitala acting like a spoilt child. Out of interest, where does he derive the power to threaten innocent hard working people for nonsensical reason as not being published. Surely, does he expect that anytime he opens his mouth the media should quote him. Who does he think he his. Evidently, the only thing to his credit worth mentioning is being one of the architects for the revolution against One Party State. Other than that he has been a failure and fired i all jobs he has held since. Now that he is riding on the back of RB, he believes he is once again powerful. Miserable chap, learn from your past and be humble
Wait a minute you will soon find yourselves looking for the where about of the so called IFJ. Get ready to be on job search.New graduates are on standby.We have friends who migrated to Botswana and South africa after graduation. They could serve the country than appeasing so called IFJ.We have a country to build.
I remember that Mbita Chitala was almost killed by criminals, he only survived because the gun could not fire despite crimal pulling the trigger several times. That man should infact thank God that he is still alive instead of intimidating journalists. He must realised that God has preserved his life when the likes of Ronald Penza, Paul Tembo, Wezi Kaunda and many more including Lucky Dube who faced such cases are no longer with us for a better reason and not bulling around like Castrol Chiluba. Chitala should please grow up.
this is a lesson for most of us who saw them come to power in 1991 we should not even make this kind of chaps to come back .this is one ruthless,arongant,pompas chap,elo when he is in power elo lukanya as we wont even stand up speak,i knew these guys when they just came from belgium were they abandorned their wives and kids while studing kubu ule na late chuulu kalima.he thought mt makulu agriculture research was his back yard,this is the worst mistake we can make we need mature men in govt not spoiled boys pliz.he is childish this guy he will be our nitemare tust me.red card!!!!!he has showed u wat his made of
deleted
Chitala was Deputy National secretary when Sata was national secretary and clearly he learnt something from Sata about holiganism
Are these the guys you want to bring back.if RB wins just know that the old MMD is back with abena BY.They think they are already in office.These are the threats the nurses used to face at UTH if these chaps bring their relative and he is told to join the line.
Chitala isnt this the guy who was fired by Mwanawasa for writtining an article supporting libya on the AU government and yet it wasnt the position of the Zambian repbulican government and neither for southern Africa. If anyone were to be sacked chitala and whoever would sack the employees at Daily mail for no reason or created reason would have to face the law as that would be abuse of office.Whenever i hear about Chitala its always non sense i think this guy either needs the law to visit him to get silent or to have him retired and permanently fired.
Chitala is a recycled Politician who shouldn’t even start making noise from nowhere, no wonder he was fired by Mwanawasa.
Thats why am begining to doubt RB’s credibility, surely, how could he start bringing People Mbita Chitala and Venon Mwanga back into the system, this clearly shows how Rupiah Banda is corrupt.
Shame up on Rupiah.
SHAME ON MMD
Mbita Chitala. He thinks he owns everything in government. These are people we should not give chance to rule us. This man should be sucked off his job because he does not know why he is in that office. He thinks he can be bulling people anyhow.
Schopet. What kind of leadership!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Has he got the powers to fire the employees? This sounds good. Mbita its not every story that is news worth. better have your own paper if you want to publish any article.
i think chital;a is another overzealous politician
The idea of a govt owned press is just sick.
MEDIOCRITY AND ZAMBIANS ARE SIAMESE TWINS.IN SERIOUS COUNTRIES SATA AND RUPIAH CANT EVEN BE CONSIDERED FOR A COUNCILLOR.CHILUBA OPTED TO GET LATE LEVY THAN PICK ON TRASH LIKE SATA TO LEAD ZAMBIA.
Chitala knows wat he is doing,he is best friends with Information minister Mulongoti @ the centre of RB’s campaign.Shame AYANDULE ABA.VIVA HH
Who does Chitala think he is. He was fired by the late president and even FTJ didn’t want him near for such behaviour.Let him come up with his own newspaper and publish whatever he wants. And these are people who are surrounding the current acting leader. Shame on MMD!!!!!!
#12 fwaka
in what capacity ya chitala.uzye imupena sile.. ya ZADECO exodus
pitangini ku mbala mukulima twamipapata ya mweene……
He is dull and come 30 October we shall show these guys that the power is and will always be in the hands of the peaple.All those who are supporting RB should begin to doubt him first he has allowed or is it employed condamed people in the likes of katele, mwanga, chitala,soon pule,mwila ooops the list is long and then you say sata is recycled fine what about HH don’t tell me is ‘tonga’ in my opinion there is nothing like recycled politicians oragain it’s not the intelligence no the wisdom that makes up a good leader,it’s a host of so many traits that make up a good leader.in our case RB is out of question please for heavens sake! why? take a stroll in his camp and let your heart understand.
ba number 12 ulichipuba,,is that what u do in australia,anyway we dnt need people like u in zambia,,,coming to mbala boy,hes got no rite at all to fire anyone at daily mail,who told him thats every article he writes has to be published.this is the sama chap who wrote an article in liby and was letter fired by levy,,,,,nichani kasi ba mudala ma broke or wat
LT this is old news! we got this sometime back or were u trying to publish IFJ’s reaction to Mbita’s desperate remarks? Anyway it explains why his late boss fired the chap coz of his failure to distinguish domestic arrangements and national matters. Abash old, recycled and redundant minds!
Ba libelela thug life…what do you expect from ba Chitala. Those who know his full background can understand the poor chap. He will neevr be in the lime-light again…
ba chitala,you think you can rule us?we dont need you and the late president fired you.what brings you back.Ba rb do you have faith in this guy?the man cant even express himself.pliz if u think youy are going to be our vice president like you are telling everybody,u are lying.i used to like the MMD but not anymore.Why?because of the pipo around you.
pliz ba zambia,lets unite and chuck out these vultures.we have brilliant young guys who can change the economy of this country.
ba veep,tontongkanyenipo
Vote HH.
Vote Young
Vote Intelligent
Vote Future
Vote HH
Mbita confused recycled politician, like RB himself who is returning them, VIVA SATA
Chitala, Iwe Mambala! Do you know how it feels to be FIRED? try it first, you won’t impose it on anyone!
RB has been such a let down, ma vultures mbwe from the closet. Apa ni Sata for President so that he chases the vultures pamozi nama chinese bamene ba pika naku gulisa nsima ku zed
lt why delete msg want to read wat militia ganga weed is writing
Ican just imagine the state of Chitalas’ lips when making those threats
But ba mbita muli saka.I now see why LPM fired you.you such a disgrace.
this Mbita Chitala wa fitala sana, who the heck does he think he is?
They guy has forgotten that he was fired over an article he wrote in the Tripoli Times over the AU. He should just stick to his campaigns and not threaten hard working daily mail staff.
Such characters should be strongly condemned!!
After editing, there was nothing to publish. Sorry, try next time Mr Chitala. Dont be so full of yourself.
Has nothing better to do ? You should visualise how his lips appear when he is talking.
Ba RB Ba shikulu u shud g8 rid of guys like chitala,he has a mouth capable of taking the whole nation down,pliz dnt hang out with crooks like him they will just bring you down with them,RB 4 President 2008.
Vote Maestro Hhehhehhehhe for President in 2016. Yalaba tomwaaba!
Vote HH for President in the Oct. 30, 2008. Real ray of change and hope Zambians can believe in.
Chitala is funny. From the time he was staying in The WInas servant’s quarters to when he thought all was well with him, he has not grown up in his mind. Where does this bootlicking and job-hunting virus come from and what is the cure. Mbita Chitala needs 4 jabs of the same chemical, perhaps he will grow up!!
He has no power to fire anyone
Find vendors in Wedding Portal – WeddingBook The leading Wedding site in Israel. Build a personal free wedding minisite , organize a guest list and seating arrangements, accept rsvp and get gifts on credit. A social network for wedding suppliers and married couples alike. Create friendships with other couples getting married, add your suppliers to your personal profile and get all the Hot Deals. Our weddings leading portal will help you organize the perfect wedding. Visit the wedding forum and get help from the community, write blogs, and give opinions on your wedding vendors.