The Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM) has refuted media reports that musicians were paid K10 million each for singing solemn songs at the funeral of the late second Republican President Frederick Chiluba.
ZAM President Maiko Zulu said no musicians was paid the K10 million to sing at late Dr. Chiluba’s funeral.
He instead explained that ZAM only coordinated the recording and performance of the “Amazing Life” song. He said that the song was a tribute and local musician’s collective contributions towards State funeral of the late second Republican President.
He added that the performance by the non-choral musicians were purelynon-profiting project.
Mr. Zulu said this in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday.
He said the said it was therefore unfair for some sections of the media to suggest that ZAM musician were performing commercially.
The ZAM boss described the media assertion as cheap politicking and unprofessional journalism which may have negative impact on the general development of the music industry and the credibility of musicians in the country.
“No musician to our knowledge was paid K10 million to sing at the funeral of the late D. Chiluba. The amazing life tribute song project
was a noble and collective towards state funeral by Zambian musicians under the auspices of the Zambia association of Musician and it was purely non-profit project. It is therefore unfair ion the part of some section of the media to suggest that ZAM where performing
commercially, ” he said.
He stated that ZAM will not allow it name to be tarnished over what he termed a genuine contribtion to national cause.
He ha since urged people and the media not to politicize the musicians participation during the funeral although the person who died was a political leader, he was President of the country for ten years.
“ZAM will not allow its name to be tarnished over what was a genuine contribution to a national cause. Our musicians’ participation during the funeral should not be politicized because we feel that despite it being the funeral of a political leader, it was also the funeral of a man who President of the whole of Zambia for ten years, ” he said.
Mr. Zulu has advised the public who have any queries to contact their secretariat adding that the association is professional, accountable and very transparent.
He advised the media to gather their fact before publishing statements saying doing so will dispel doubts to the credibility of
the news articles and avoid damaging allegations.
According to a story carried in one of dailies, last week, government is reported to have paid K10 million to non-choral musicians who were signing during the funeral of the late second republican president.
ZANIS
if they were paid, so what?
They had to use up some of that 5 billion somewhere.
This should not ne NEWS. LT, please.an allegation?
Bupuba bwamusango shani ubu kanshi, everyone then who shed tears was paid? Malabishi why should start suspecting any move to be politically engineered. Mulekula mwefinangwa mwe.
this is just getting ridiculous… maiko you do not owe anybody an explanation! there is nothing criminal about being paid for a service; if anything 10 million is just too little. you deserved at least 25 million and then just like you say, this being your offering to the president’s funeral, you would then have elected to donate the money to his widow, children or his trust
Maiko Napepa, They Were Paid K10m Each. I Will Testify I Need To Do So. My Colleague Was Responsible For Paying These People. I Can Mention Names Of Those People Paid If Thats Necessary.
We understand all the hate for FTJ but the Man was President. So it was ok for ZAM to sing for Levy because he was their buddy who protected their wicked ways from the law and persecuted thier enemies but not FTJ? These chaps at the Post will also Die one Day and their funerals will be made fun of in just the same fashion they have done to FTJ. Let the dead rest please
Where did the K5 billion go? Someone should give us a breakdown of expenditure to put all the allegations to rest.
singing is business.let them get something.so what if they got paid? why wud someone waste time and energy to sing for mahala?
MAIKO ZULU YOU ARE A F.OO.L AN I.D.IOT! ARE YOU NOT THE ONE WHO WAS SAYING AND I QUOTE ‘AS FOR ME I WILL NOT SHED A TEAR FOR A PLUNDERER’? WHAT HAS CHANGED BA GANJA CONVICT?
Ishala ur musicians no integrity awe
If The Post or indeed “one of the dailiez”, reported that the muzicianz were paid, then Miako Zulu would do well to go and clear the issue with them. That the public government controlled ZANIS iz uzed to refute the allegation, smellz of a very big dead rat.
So what,,,kula lyamo bonse …\:d/
Sata is a liar, a slunderer….what do you expect of his flock?
OK, they were not paid 10m but 1m each; so what?
So what if they were paid? I dont even know why Maiko is offering an explanation. Well, I am sure it is The Past Newspaper which reported these payments! ha! ha! ha! Ever jealous
PIPO DONT BE CHEATED , LUAPULA NI PABWATOO, NORTHERN NI PABWATOO, LSK NIPABWATOO, CB NI PABWATOO, WESTERN NI MWAMUKOLOOO, CENTRAL NI PABWATOO, NW 50% NI PABWATOO. MMD KUYABEBELE.
@REFLECTIONS, the issue is about Maiko Zulu explaining about being paid K10 Million and you bring in PABWATO Chi-colour chobe. Mr Zulu, the guys are just stupid.
Well if they were paid who gives a F…K. Zambian politicking never ceases to amaze me
another new word discovered by LT, “purelynon-profiting.”
It’s you Rasta who should have contributed to funeral. Have the tradition changed. Since when?
Maiko if were paid fine. You are in business, but if you were not paid and someone fabricated the story go to him and let him apologise period.
Only crooks will suspect every action to be a bribe, why thinking of national cause to be a commercial venture and publish it? Journalism ethics have gone to the DOGS. St. Micheal & ZAM keep up the Good Works and the Almighty Lord bless you a ALL.
Puso no.23 you are right journalism has gone to dogs as is evident here with Lusaka times being a mouth piece of the MMD, a folding party and formerly democratic party.
Maiko apologies I thot Sillier gave her coz i askd her 2 forward the money 2 u which I gave her as u know we had a budget of K4.6 bn and we budgeted 4 u as well as musicians. u are right it was not a money making venture coz surely ka 10million aint match compared 2 what we got and besyds u deserve dat but pls Maiko dont kubeba that its me who tols u this. Kindly see Sillier our spoksperson or our f.o.o.l.i.s.h Edwardo Mumbi
so what if they were paid, they earn their living through music regardless were it is sung. Unless they chose to sing for free otherwise they should be paid.
mukomboni we hire vans to use mumalilo. Why should people provide their service to a state funeral free of charge? If anything its not the Chiluba family that paid, its the state. Miko Zulu there is nothing wrong to charge for the service, its better to pay musicians who render a good service of composing and singing such good music to comfort mourners than give money to william banda and his legion of caders/vouchers who only get and give nothing in return.
# 27 mwisha, you have put the whole matter in perspective! We do not need to know whether they were paid or not! It depends on whether they agreed that it was commercial or not! So Maiko and The Post, please gentlemen, get a life!
Thanks MundiaM #28 thats kind of you.
Iwe Maiko…so what if you were paid ala…they should have paid you chaps 20m to sing there…its not like it was the gov’t paying you, or the change from those proxy accounts is going to MMD coffers as nobody can account for that… Ka Chiluba paid himself handsomely at our expense!!!
You people can also follow my guy Maiko Zulu on FaceBook…if you want thought provoking status updates!!
hello,my friend,how are you
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