The civil society is incensed by revelations of the government that it has no option but to pay the K500 million legal fees incurred by Chanda Chimba III.
Chimba faces several libel suits in the High Court of Zambia following his pre-election MMD campaign television program Stand Up for Zambia that was sponsored by the previous government.
Featuring on the Radio Phoenix talk show, let the people talk, Transparence International Zambia president Reuben Lifuka and SACCORD executive Director Lee Habasonda urged the government to find a way of making the previous government to foot the bill.
Habasonda said Chimba’s program was immoral and that it was insensitive to shift his legal fees to the general public.
“Those who were in charge of the program should pay the bills. Why did they consent to such fees? They must pay the bill. We (civil society) demand that government passes on this bill to those who contracted the program,” Habasonda said.
In response, Information Minister Given Lubinda, who was also featuring on the program, explained that it was not possible for the government to pass on the bills incurred by Chimba to former government officials.
“Unfortunately, the citizens will have to pay the cost. The law as it stands protects individuals who make decisions in office. It’s only corporations that can be charged. We cannot do something against the law,” Lubinda said.
Speaking earlier, Lifuka urged the government to insure that they strengthened institutions mandated to fight corruption.
He said the Patriotic Front government should clearly state to the nation its corruption strategy.
Lifuka also advised the government to come up with a constitution that did not tolerate corruption if the fight against the vice was to succeed.
Why did they Zambia to such fees?
and i quote: ” Why did they Zambia to such fees?”
just wondering as well
I thought he was just disseminating the facts from past Post publications. Leave the journalist alone and concentrate on your 90 days affair that is already proving not to be lucrative to the Zambian people. K500 million is nothing compared to what you are wasting on those quangos you have created in the name of ‘commissions’. 2016 and a new government will be voted in! Poor beginning and poor finishing!
You are showing a blind eye :d
He is a Bemba, he is a hero, but a warning;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
There nothing immoral about those publications as they are archives from the post ,so then it’s good to say that the post are immoral too..!chishimba is too quiet wer is my favorite journalist I miss him:))
Bakaise bayo cwiwa kikwena ya mwalisima,Bonamalikita ba mazukuzemba babamaswe ba.
f.u.c.k u 2
Why did they Zambia to such fees?, HELP PLEASE!!!!!!
maybe it has a deep meaning too deep for us to understand “Why did they Zambia to such fees?” its probably shake-spearing english
its also weird that lusakatimes don’t credit the writer of the article
I am happy for my tax to go towards footing this bill on condition that I lay my hands on.
I just want to squeeze his nuts! Where is he anyway?
Wow! What a paradox. Haunt some, hag some. Oops!!
Chanda chimbas programmes were the worst virulent form of biased presonal attacks on sata and membe i have ever seen sponsored by RBs GRZ. He deserves every thing comming his way
Where is he mwebantu kanshi? MMD did their bit by protecting themselves but this plonker was not considered so we have to see what he says.
I just want to squeeze his nuts. That`s all! It won`t hurt Chanda after all you have got balls!
Chanda Chimbwii the thug is in one of the western european countries where he is seeking political assylum.
Please CAGE the stupid boy,
Shikapwasha, Dora, Rupia, Mupesa and other former ZNBC directors, as well as Chimbwi and all those who were givimg hi, material in comments and otherwise should be made to pay. Why should the people of Zambia pay for decisions they had no hand in when it is clear who the sponsors, supporters and beneficiaries of the rubbish are known. Villagers’ products have not been bought or paid for, and yet we want to give rupia and his tandem of looters more undeserved wealth. The Law is a *****, and it is … prosecute all those involved in the infamous rubbish of a young ruined journalist career.
if our GRZ pay this bill then there was nothing to go for change in fact electorates are starting to loose favour in Mr Sata watch the space
They are willing to pay coz they know he spoke the truth and gave mcs free coverage!!!
If CC3 was immoral, then the Post is immoral. The guy merely reproduced what the Post published.
Writing on the Wall. Post bites the dust. Chiimba will surface and now in support of Sata. Glad I never heard what he said but like some has already pointed out, post is too blame. he just brought to surface that which was in the archives. Skeletons walk the streets.
# 14 JFK… I am behind. MMD should pay all they sponsored winners and losers as well. Governement is NOT a part. When an accident happens it is the driver not the vehicle driven that is charged.
It should probably read as ‘Why did they [commit] Zambia to such fees?’,
Chanda Chimbwi the thug is in one of the western european countries where he is seeking political assylum.
Pf Cadres and sympathisers,please do not demonise Chanda Chimba.What he was telling you about Sata is actually the truth and it was is exactly as it was reported in your favourite Post newspaper.You have not yet seen the side of Sata yet and i am sure you will go back and embrance Chanda Chimba when your honey moon with Sata is over.Right now you are cheering every wrong decision he makes because you are blinded by the love you have for him but when all is said and done,you will be the ones who will resent him most.So please be care and don’t illtreat others because you will need them when Sata comes visiting with his pangas and matchets.Please remember this guys.
Chanda mubembele just come back and apologise to the commender in chief of all security forces and the nation for your short sighted plus your sebana wikute documentary.
What Chanda Chimba did was the honest thing one could do to inform,and educate the masses Not so many people have a reading culture.Such documentaries are hands-on,digging what was in the archives and quoting verbatim.Advice to Cycle Mata Chilufyanya
1.Commit to keeping your word
2.Build consistent character for private and public conduct.
So these dogs the so called civil society are happy that Malupenga and Chella are drawing taxpayers money for having campaigned for PF.ZNBC has fallen in the same trap also the way they behaved in MMD,they can’t present divergent views as news except ululating nonsence from the tourist attraction given lubinda.Shame.
Are you guys serious really, What the government is saying is they have no choice but pay for the damn ***** Chanda Chimba’s bill. If they had a way am sure they would’nt pay the fool, but because some rupiya fool thought he was going to discredit HE MCS by using a damn cop as the third. *****s.
DON’T PAY – BILL NOT WAS DONE IN THE INTEREST OF ZAMBIANS But Private interest of MMD.
MMD hired Chimbwi to perform their duties specifically for MMD. Those who hired Chimbwi were in Govt, their purpose was not for the govt but private benefit of MMD. Itb is for this reason that the bill must be passed on to MMD and all its registered members.
DON’T PAY – BILL WAS NOT DONE IN THE INTEREST OF ZAMBIANS But Private interest of MMD.
MMD hired Chimbwi to perform their duties specifically for MMD. Those who hired Chimbwi were in Govt, their purpose was not for the govt but private benefit of MMD. It is for this reason that the bill must be passed on to MMD and all its registered members.
There was no benefit for the rest of Zambians but MMDs. If MMD fails then all registered members in their books must receive a bill for their party.
Mwaitaya ba PF manje.What is wrong with this?Why not take the cash to Shangombo to help the poor?
Mr Lifuka and Mr Haabasonda, I have deep respect for you and I hope you will accept my quotation of a Bemba saying which goes: “Mpyana ngo apyana namabala” literally this means, when one takes on the body of a leopard he/she automatically takes on the spots that goes with it. The mistakes of the previous government have to be born by the innocent incumbent.
Chanda Chimba III should be sued for libel and it is the only way to redress the matter. Shikapwasha gets away with his foolish decisions of engaging Chanda Chimba III.
Yeah they have no option but to pay.It sucks actually but hey it is the law we are talking baout here.
Shikapwasha and Ruphia Banda should foot the bill for Chanda Chimbwi. or MMD secretariate should be made responsible for the bill. Can someone tell Banda, I hear he is in South Africa where he hide his money with his children to make hm pay for Chanda Chimbwi’s bill. Not my tax.
As they say “The president is not a person but an institution that must be protected at all cost”. We should be care careful with who we put in such institutions. God help us.
Chanda Chimba III quoted the post most of the time.If he has to apologise then Mmembe should apologise first for doing more harm against the King Cobra.Chanda Chimba III produced very good works.No need to apologise.2016 you’ll definately be back.If something happens to someone soonest,you’ll be back soonest my boy.FEAR NOT.U GAT BALLS,AFTERALL.
Lee you must be dull. Be educated that there is only one government (or one Finance Ministry) be it MMD or PF ruling. So you can not say let previous government pay for Chimba’s bill. Only leadership faces changed and not government. Government still runs wether KK, FJT, Levy, RB, or MC are there or not.
Dunderheads PF. Pay who? Chisata of course. He sued. If he pays himself and his lawyers from tax then who is thief and cruel here? CCIII was right. Remember that ZNBC was jointly charged with Muvi and Mobi. Because SATAn has tied you with a twine you now act like swine. Insult me now bamalukula imwe.
iye chi mayo shut up and wait 4 judgement
zambians, zambians why do we like insults other than real life talks of development and love meanwhile bring all the cowprits to book, too much talking spoils the intelligence works, be smart.
Jail the bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s how rubbish MMD was!! Good riddance to rotten leadership.
It is true that the State must foot that bill for a citizen who is unavailable or unable to foot such a bill, but this also means that the individual who’s bills the state settles will have to be jailed for a period when he is found. Also, as this suggests that he is guilty of an offence for which the state is bailing him out, he can now be considered a fugitive from the law, so it is in order to start hunting him down.
Indeed why did they zambia to such fees..
There are a lot of people who are still in support of MMD and the Chanda Chimba programm who still pay taxes and coming from this thought its okay for GRZ to pay as part of that money is coming from the taxes they pay.
Tax payers money does not belong to a political party or a government but to citizens, it is meant to develop the nation. if you look at Australia 50 years ago and what Australia is now, you would wonder why Zambia has be the same since independece. its all because of greedy people like RB. Damn !! that man could have destroyed Zambia in broad day light. any one who spoke against his greedy ideas he fired. RB is the worst present Zambia ever had. its suprised me to learn that he was a diplomat and yet had no guts to envy the sustainable developments in other countries. i hated RB’s rhetoric development. only corrupt people support MMD. As for Chanda Chimbwi let RB pay that bill
That money that will go to foot Chanda Chimbwi’s pathetic programe should have gone to fund the health sector. Zambian children are dying every day. RB only cared about his family. look at him now he is in South Africa for medical treatment. if only they could be a law that will retrain Government leaders to seek medical attention to South Africa Zambia’s health secotr will improve.
Can the Sata Government deploy Interpol to look for this Chanda Chimbwi
# 35 your comments comfirm the plot that Kambwili made public. # 35 this is not a football team this is about a nation that is so backwards and highjacked by freedom of speech. i wish i could have a one on one debate. i can bring you down
Chanda Chimba was right, period.
The program was NOT Official it was MMD so let it pay. We can not waste money like that. Which governemnt can allow to use payees funds on that immoral program? Let Shakapasha and his MMD pay him
If ZNBC was sued why in the heavens did they hire a lawyer whjen thet had 2 qualified lawyers. Didnt mupeso know that it was a bad case or were the two just ther for the BIG cars the GOVT bought?????????
Dont Hold public office if you cannot stand the Heat. ‘Taking People 4 granted ka!!!
WHY the hurry to AGREE to pay??????? Who is the recipient????? PF, et.al?