POLICE in Lusaka have arrested and charged an MMD cadre alleged to have assaulted journalists at Lusaka International Airport recently.
The suspect who was summoned to Lusaka Central Police Station yesterday was questioned before he was formally arrested for assault and was by Press time remanded in custody.
The suspect admitted having attacked the journalists and sought reconciliation during a meeting at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Lusaka Central Police Station yesterday.
“The suspect has been detained and will appear in court tomorrow (today),” a police source said.
Last week, MMD cadres beat up Times of Zambia reporter Anthony Mulowa, photojournalist Richard Mulonga and Chibaula Silwamba of The Post.
The journalists went to cover President Banda’s arrival from Uganda where he had gone to attend the Smart Partnership Forum.
And media bodies have vowed to proceed with the protest march to express their concerns on the state of the media environment despite President Banda’s absence.
The media associations include the Press Association of Zambia (Paza), Zambia Media Women Association (Zamwa), Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) and Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ).[quote]
Others are PANOS Institute Southern Africa, Press Freedom Committee of the Post (PFCP) and the United Nations Information Centre (Unic).
Speaking on behalf of other media bodies, Misa Zambia chapter chairperson Henry Kabwe said the media associations would present the petition to any person Mr Banda had chosen to represent him.
Mr Kabwe said the media had deliberately chosen to seek the intervention of the president over the continued beating and harassment of journalists by cadres.
“We wish to state that the media have been calling for action from relevant authorities concerning the beating of journalists by cadres but not much effort has been made to address this situation,” Mr Kabwe said.
He said the perpetrators of these criminal acts against journalists had not faced justice for their ill-behaviour.
Mr Kabwe said the situation had set a bad precedence, which the media fears would become worse as the 2011 elections approached.
He said the media associations did not wish to have journalists’ lives threatened by elements who appeared to have acquired licence to harm media practitioners at will.
Mr Kabwe said the dress code for the march was black with a red headband.
[Times of Zambia]
No one is above the law MMD cadres have become stupid they should be arrested.
Wait and see if they will convict him, i doubt
The courts in the country have become Kangaroo courts where the judiciary and police only act on their Master’s voice. In fact the Local courts justices who try adultery cases in Matero and Chilenje local courts.are more dignified than these so called high court judges and magistrates.
It is a shame.
Poor guy!!as much as am against violence i think ba mutola nkani have become partisan and unprofessional…bakala ponokwa just like that
This is sad . The ones whose interests he was trying to promote by this useless act are nowhere to be seen. Bu Party Cadre bu bwa !
Ngocho bene!
Selective ways of doing things. It takes time for police to act or react when the crime was committed in front of their cheif. The Cheif knows that he masters had first to give his course of action. This how imature the entire system (govt) is, personalised instead of institutionalised
This is long over due. These cadres must be reminded Zambia is not theirs alone. Nobody is above the law. Its disgusting that the entire Greenwell Nguni had to act to effect arrest of a cadre after public pressure. At the rate these cadres are behaving I wouldnt be surprised that such and such ex leader has bin globbered. These chaps have no rules of engagement. To them its who gives them something to drink and put in their pockets. Zambia is not at war and has no room for maltias. The police are being reminded and called upon to preserve life and protect property, dectect and prevent crime. Nguni and his men should be seen to be siding with any political party. Their job is impartial to enforce the law. That is why the police is national institution. Zambia Police Service not MMD Police
The president MUST not support one political party while in power. The cadres when interviewed said that they were protecting their president against unwanted publications. Where are the full paid police and paramilitary, leaving the cadres taking the law into their own hands? Police are handcafed by their call boys.. shame fighting at airport tarmac while police looks on.
SHAME PA KAPOKOLA especially ba WUNGA WUNGA. Its high time if the cops want to behave like MMD malitias then as tax payers we can help retrain and reform the Zambia Police Service to Zambia National Police Service. Dress them in kaputulas like 1970’s introduce beats, foot patrols, drills upon reporting on duty and when knocking off, watching TV club premise s only. Mode of transpport ma Embus. Getting into cap by way of Chitupa. Commanding officers expartriates from UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Local cops (Offocer In charges) to understudy these guys in action and see how law is impartially applied.
Beatings of Journalists by party cadres and the Chansa Kabwela case have the potential to alienate government from its citizens. It would be very wise for government to show that it will not condone violence in any form and by any one by dealing firmly with the thugs who perpetrated this crime, including the people who sent them.
People like MMD youth chairman Chris Chalwe, who just recently boasted that he would continue beating Journalists and #4 Sata need to be visited by the law for abetting violence against Journalists.
Ba Bony Kapeso. ZPS Spokes person .Just a reminder how far have you gone in implementing pronouncements by ZPS Mobile Unit Chief, Kamfinsa that recruits will have to be circumcised will this be confined to males or or it will involve all recruits. at all three training centres. Further did ZP lobby parliament to make that law or its just mere order or command. What cost implications is the exercise going to have on the national treasury as the trainees will stay longer in training establishments than planned.
What has gone wrong with police sports training programmes which used to be conducted such as karamoja, tug of war in camps. Weekend house inspection to ensure cleanliness. Unless these things are intriduced cops will be just buzing off duty. I await your answers.
MMD CHOLA BOYS HAVE GONE VERY FAR WITH VIOLENCE. BUT BAMUTOLA NKANI ALSO HAVE BECOME LIKE POLITICAL NEWSPAPERS. THE TIMES AND DAILY MAIL ARE FOR MMD, THE POST IS FOR PF, UPND AND OTHER SYMPATHISERS CRITICISING THE MMD.
I hope this is not a trick to woodwink the public and and cooperating partners and them, us believe that the law is taking its course
I hope they are not doing this because the master is out of town
All this is just window dressing. The chap wont be jailed!!
Civic Education
Criicism is normal but victimising the medi is something else. Some bloggers including politicians seem not to understand the ROLE of the media in a democratic and war set up. more awareness is required.I n simple terms the media prepare, monitor, inform, arm, check, influence, ertc all the concerned in the decision making. Am made to think that what is being displayed in Zed ignorance at its best.
The cader has already been granted bail worth K3 million by Lusaka Magistrate David Simusamba!!!!
and this man is 42 years, why is he a Lusaka province youth chairman??? I thought YOUTH ends at 35 years. he has overstayed can be removed from the position of a youth chairman and let the youths take over.
This is too little too late. The cadres should have been caged on the scene, period. Don’t tell us lies that you are committed to preventing violence. The truth is you are dead scared of losing power. Can’t RB learn from his electoral defeat in Munali by Mr. Kampata who was nothing but just a head teacher? Can’t he learn from the UNIP defeat in 1991? It will repeat itself in 2011 unless RB and his minions Mulongoti and Tetamashi can read the writing on the wall. MMd will be consigned to the dustbin. Zwa Zwa zwa mwatusabila!! MMD kimasholi fela. MMD nimpupu sana. MMD ni akwalala achabe chabe. RB ndi wakuba na Dora wake! Akawalala Akawalala Akawalala – Chiluba’s tutees. Theft instructor – FTJ, best tutee X. Chungu, chief apprentice RB theft Banda. chief guard dogs Teta and Mulongoti…
18 MAMA G greetings. Following your “this man, the MMD provincial youth chairman is 42 years, why is he a Lusaka province youth chairman??? I thought YOUTH ends at 35 years.” I am with you on this one for I was just coming to comment of the same after reading the POST’s disclosure that the character has even acquired bail for his bad actions.
It is a very big shame that a big man is masquerading as a YOUTH — even youth chairman.
I hope the MMD leadership failure will change this status quo.
On the assault the character committed, Zambian President RB Banda as MMD acting president must clear the problem.
Have a blessed day.
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1 John 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the…
Cases like this indicate how vulnerable the culture of peace is in Zambia. Nowonder the rating has dropped from 53 to 58 on the GLOBAL PEACE INDEX. The GPI should not be ignored but be treated as a work up call. We are all aware that conflict is inevitable but violence is a CHOICE. The cadres and not one must be punished or somebody holding a constitution office take the blame and resign.