Former Minister of Information, Ronnie Shikapwasha has refused to be drawn in to the debate where he is accused of directing ZNBC to air the infamous Stand up for Zambia documentary by Chanda Chimba.
Lieutenant General Shikapwasha who was Minister at the time of the documentary refused to answer any questions from a ZANIS reporter who contacted him for a comment.
The former Chief Government Spokesperson said he had nothing to comment on the matter.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha and his Permanent Secretary (PS) Dr. Sam Phiri were cited to have directed ZNBC to air the libellous documentary on ZNBC and they have since been surcharged to pay K900 million in legal fees.
Information Minister, Fackson Shamenda who disclosed this at media briefing in Lusaka yesterday said, the two former government officials have been surcharged and will foot the over K900 million in legal fees to SBN Legal Practitioners who represented ZNBC in court cases.
[pullquote]“I was a civil servant and how can I be made to pay because in the first place the lawyers sued ZNBC which is a different entity,” he said.[/pullquote]
But Former Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr. Sam Phiri expressed ignorance of the documentary and denied any involvement in its airing.
Dr. Phiri said he found the programme airing on ZNBC when he joined government as PS in 2010 and did not know who directed the airing of the documentary.
He has since challenged the Ministry of Information and ZNBC to produce evidence where he instructed the airing of the stand up for Zambia documentary.
“I came to the Ministry from South Africa in November 2010 and found the programme airing and I never even knew anything about it nor where it was produced, including the person called Chanda Chimba who was producing the same documentary,” he said.
“I would be happy if the Ministry or indeed ZNBC produce evidence of my involvement or directive to air the documentary in question,” Dr.Phiri said.
The former PS also wondered how he could be made to pay the money when the lawyers were demanding money from ZNBC which is a public institution.
“I was a civil servant and how can I be made to pay because in the first place the lawyers sued ZNBC which is a different entity,” he said.
Dr. Phiri has also challenged the board at ZNBC to come out in the open and release the evidence that he was among the persons that directed for the airing of the documentary.
ZANIS
what goes around must come around and up then down. they forgot the most factor in leadership, humility. truly speaking, am enjoying the game.
Strange story. How was the decision to surcharge these 2 arrived at? The Minister must talk with authority and provide the section of the law or civil service orders that was bleached by these 2. Why talk as if we are at a village gathering?
Dr Phiri is right, this is a no brainer and just shows lack of understanding of governance issues. Government of Kaponya by the Kaponya for the Kaponya at work indeed.
I wouldn’t even lose sleep over this one I think the Reverand is right in not dignifying this stupidity with a response.
How can OBAMA ask George Bush to pay back the deficit incurred in the invasion of Iraq.
How can OBAMA ask Allan Greenspan to bail out US banks that were about to go bust because he kept interest rates too low for a long time
And How can we ask KK to pay back the $7 billion Zambian debt of the 90s.
This is really absurd and unhead of. Only in Kaponya land does this imbecility make sense
MMD Chief Bootlicker you are a no brainer yourself. how can you compare the issue of Iraq invasion which bordered on USA national security to some stupid documentary created to discredit the PF & Sata when he was in opposition using tax payers money through ZNBC? In whose interest was the ‘Stand up for Zambia’ documentary produced? It was to serve the interest of your stupid,dull old bonker who is pleading for mercy not to go to jail. I just wished you were above board with your debates but then again your moniker says it all you’re truly a timid licker. Maybe you should do an introspection you’re a Kaponya who will lick anyone.
I have never seen so much ignorance masquarading as knowledge.
The material that Chanda Chimbwi was was eja+culating was proper proper MMD campaign material.
If you think for one moment that Zambian tax payers are going to foot that campaign bill, you are f&%#ing stu+pid and very dull galu.
Just as we sorted out your MMD friends, we are slowly but quickly sorting all of you one by blo+oody one. You do not f%*K with public resources, especially when they bear the name ZAMBIA.
When did OBAMA ever pay CLINTONS campaign costs??????
You fo.ol; this problem was caused by your fo.olish MMD. How the hell you insult the current government. If I knew you? would make sure you are sorted. Be sincere than write nonsense.
MMD Chief Bootlicker, you are really a chief fool.
I agree with MMD Chief Bootlicker this is a no brainer! I’m even running out of the popcorns I bought to watch this PF circus. If PF were Egyptians am sure they would sue Israel for the treasure Moses and the Jews took from the egyptians when crossing the Red Sea.
lol…….
LOLest!!!
@CHITULIKA
, u are a bigger fool for calling #3 a fool. What is your arguement, kaponya iwe. Advance your arguements without name calling and we will hear you and maybe even agree with you if you can smartly give your inteligient perception. But maybe this is asking too much from you.
@ Gate crusher, you are the biggest FOOL on this earth. Tell us what your intelligent perception is now please instead of rushing to castigate Honourable Chitulika.
It does not matter who directed the programme to run,ZNBC screened it and they will pay.No sane person can lose sleep over this nonsense.
MMD chief bootlicker your comments are unreasonable.You cant compare the war in iraq with the rubbish that chanda chimba vomitted.It was very personal and the thug was encouraged by the MMD.Shikapwasha should swallow the bitter pill he made.When he was in power he said a lot of nonsense and now it is pay back time.
Ba Moonga naimwe. Shikapwasha cannot be charged personally on something he did in his official capacity. Unless there was abuse of office for personal gain. That is what MMD chief bootlicker means that OBAMA cant ask George Bush to pay back the deficit incurred in the invasion of Iraq. Man we are all PF supporters, but this one AWE madala. its another shame!!
MMD Chief Bootlicker, you’re spot on.
@MMD Chief Bootlicker
You are right. This is a government of the Kaponya, by the Kaponya, for the Kaponya at work.
This Kaponya called Shamenda needs to ask people at ZNBC. ZNBC has a Director of Programmes, who reports to the Director General. The Director General reports to the Board. Why have you not surcharged these chaps who are directly responsible for ZNBC programming?
YOU ARE A TRUE ADVISOR!!!
When will these kaponyas accept that they are now the government, and have to take responsibility for government decisions whether that government was MMD, UPND, NAREP or PF even? Did MMD of Chiluba and Sata refuse to pay back KK’s government debt of $7 billion in 1991? When will this circus end? Okay, okay more popcorns please!
I used to think the MMD chief bootlicker was somebody who can analyse issues, but he is just one of those MMD disappointed thugs. Your comparisons just shows how shallow MMD used to comprehend issues on governance. Arrogance and abuse of the office should not be used as excuse for excesses which went beyond the powers of the office they held. Shikapwasha is on record praising Chimba, even George Kunda was praising him in parliament!
@ ba SK, has shikapwashi been charged with abuse of office? NO. So why should he personally be responsible for something he might have done in his official capacity if their was no personal gain. Thats rubbish man and you should better,man
No one needs a PHD or any formal qualification to understand that the nonsence that was aired on ZNBC was sponsored by MMD and was meant to help the MMD bafoons to gain some votes from the low level thinking citizens like the MMD Chief boot licker, but thank GOD it could not even convince my illiterate grandfather. Even the chickens knew that the MMD donkeys were thieves who invaded the Zambian government coffers without impunity. You can call us kaponyas but let me tell you the MMD bafoons, even those street kids have better IQs that you monkey asses. Just find money to pay for that time you allowed that chimbwi creature to screw himself up.
Sata was part and parcel of the MMD that looted the most money from government, thats what chanda chimba was trying to put across in his documentary. who was in the forefront supporting chiluba on the third term? who led thugs in chawama with machetes and ballot boxes? Sata!!!!!
Newton’s 3rd law of motion: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
Rev. just be a man and own up, you are simply reaping what you were sowing whilst in power. Whether by Kaponya or not, the majority of the people told you it was unethical at the time but you went ahead thinking you would never leave power, or was it that, you trying to impress your then boss whom you now see dining with the enemy….SHAME, MR. BOOTLICKER, waona manje wayamba ku lila….Now you realise that its every man for himself, God for us all.
So zambians have a kaponya for president? How did this happen?where are the educated hiding when this change was taking place?ke,ke,ke
chanda chibwi was telling the truth he never lied because whatever he said was substantiated with the video. and the things that we saw are they not the things we are seeing now?. it is a hire and fire kind of affair. how many hav been fired so far? lets watch and enjoy the drama of the cobra.there is more coming. however shikapwasha and kunda big koswe big fooool because they thought the were going to be in power forever. let shikapwasha be punished for his deeds.
We are still waiting for the development you promised. The jobs you promised. When are you going to deliver? We are tired of this bickering. Please you are in government now. Could you start working?
So the contract was between ZNBC and SNB legal practitioners, ZNBC gave instructions to the lawyers. Then Shikapwashaand Phiri are responsible for the contract they simply are not party to?
This is madness, I suppose they would have hired their own lawyers if they had anything to do with the case that SNB sorted.
no brainier…. running to get popcorn…this show will take some time yet’
MMD CHIEF BOOT LICKER You definitely dont have brains for you to even BRING OBAMA BUSH Iraq war comparisons means you blatantly have no clue about the issue. WAS CHANDA CHIMBWI THE THIRD programme a GRZ activity? If it was NOT who sanctioned its production and airing on ZNBC for free? The Reverend is CULPABLE in this matter and if he is dignified as he is trying to portray himself now why didnt he STOP the production and airing of the STUPID programme? He MUST ANSWER FOR HIS SINS PERIOD!!!!!
Mwe bantu, Bush’s wars were very personal. That is why the americans booed him out like no other President. It maybe that the MMD CBL went too far but just as close. Shika and Phiri were acting on govt instructions just like all the ministers are now acting on Govt instructions. Shika did not personally gain from Chimba’s programmes nor did he act ultra vires his powers. Or are you saying her did.
#3 MMD chief bootlicker, your analyasis lacks serious interllactual understanding of issues, your comparison dont match my dear . Mind you chanda chimbwi documentaries were very personal attacks aimed at character assination and was politically motivated by MMD and aired on national TV which was not in nation interest but mere political campaign by MMD. So tell us why you want current PF government pay this bill using taxe payers money? MMD and chanda chimbwi should pay this bill not taxe payers money. shikapwasha lipilenifye yama
Mwiponta, it is ZNBC paying. Man even Sata will incur bills one way or another and the next govt will be paying for those bills. It was a Board decision and surcharge the Board and not the Minister. The Board had a right to throw out the request made by whoever.
Is PF controlling ZNBC too?
Mr.Shamenda did not venture into the highest body of Trade Unionism by accident. He started as a mere worker to appreciate how best he could represent unionised workers. In this regard he must be conversant in the operation of the Govt. The statement that he issued publicly had the whole mark of some elemrnt of vengeance. Shamenda must provide evidence of misapplication of govt finances by General Shikapwasha and Dr. Sam Phiri in the Courts of Law. The PF CIRCUS will soon be on show in New York exhibiting acrobatics riding on monkeys and baboons. Scenes: 3-trillion fake Kwacha starred by Bob Schinga; 3-trillion Kwacha worth of maize destryoyed by FRA staff starred by Guy Scott;; realignment of Chirundu and Itezhitezhi to Lusaka & Central provinces starred by Sata himself. What a CIRCUS!
ALL YOU CONDEMNING PF YOU ARE FOOLS. PF IS DOING THE RIGHT THING AND WHETHER U LIKE IT OR NOT YOU WILL BENEFIT FROM ITS GOOD PROGRAMMES. PF IS IS NEW AND NEEDS TIME. YOUR HH WILL NEVER RULE ZAMBIA, MARK THIS.
MMD chiefbootlicker I have followed some of you arguments on issues and I thought you made sense. But on this you comparison is misguided US deficit incurred in the invasion of Iraq, bail out of US banks and $7 billion Zambian debt of the 90s are more of National issues whereas the Chanda Chimba III ( I wonder of what significance Chanda Chimba I and CC II where to Zambia) was a petty party issue. To be honest it was the last kick of a dying horse. Chanda Chimba was a bankrupt foo.l who was merely ‘bootlicking’ and was hoping he MMD would stay on for him to rip the benefits. Unfortunately the MMD did not hang on and the poor CC III is in hiding.
Shika who?
#3. KK to repay the debt of K 7 billion which went into your education, creation of hospitals, roads, schools, universities, parastatal companies to anchor the Zambian economy, support to liberation movements in Southern Africa, training of the civil service, etc! Clearly warped thinking giving credence to insult that Zambians use their excellent mastery of English to cover up their lack of common sense and ignorance of geography, history, science, arithmetic, theology, management, etc, etc!! Shame!!!!
Shikapwasha has no words,the he can do is to apologise and then pay and he will livw happily ever after.Foolishness,Sycophancy,misplaced overzealousness and plain stupidity does not pay,there always comes a time to payback.The wages of stupidity is what Ronnie and Dr Phiri are atoning for.Its a good lesson to those in power today,examples must be given and be learnt.
ZNBC has to look at the pay due date again on the bill because this looks like it will take very very very very long.
And as far as SNB are concerned they are owed by ZNBC. I can smell bailifs at ZNBC………..
#4 Chitulika. Your intelectual imaciation is not worth comparing with that of MMD Chief boot licker. A govt worth its name can not abrogate its responsibility. Chikapwasha or Phiri never issued orders to Chanda Chimba 3 for Kaponya govt to revert to them personally. This reasoning further checks Kaponya’s lack of competency to govern. Seek professional legal counsel to get things right and not embarass yourselves time without end. You are in for a hard ride in your myopic amaturish rule as Zambians are more enlightened than you thought. When all is done, yours as Kaponyas will be the dock to answer charges for duping Zambians.
Ba MMD you amaze me. I don’t know when you gonna shut your traps and have some humility for once! Zambians put up with your arrogance and thieving for 20 years and they are not going to take it anymore.
For some of you to even compare what Shikapwasha and his cohorts did to George W. Bush’s adventurous wars and the USA Federal deficit visa vies Obama’s inaction really shows the level of intellectualism at play here. First off:
1. ministers do not enjoy the kind of immunity that heads of state do.
2. Mr. Shakas having been the top man responsible for ZNBC, the libelous documentary can only be thought to have been suctioned by him.
cont from #28
3. The documentary was a political Party campaign aimed at MMD opponents, had nothing to do with govt functions.
4. Political campaigns are supposed to be paid for by individual parties through private funds, and not on taxpayers tab. This is true even here in the USA (since some of you like to compare yourselves with America a lot).
5. If we believe Mr. Shikas was only following orders, him having been a senior military officer before, he should realize that not all orders are lawful, and you are just as culpable carrying out an unlawful order as the person on gave it (plenty of soldiers have been court marshaled for this)
Just to state a few facts. Now, come back to earth all you MMD sycophants and face up!!
Sam Phiri is just bluffing and shirking away from the reality. ‘ I joined government in November 2010’ is not an excuse. You will just pay the legal costs incurred. If you found the infamous programme running on ZNBC, why didn’t you use your discretion to stop it immediately since it was offensive to most Zambians? 900 million kwacha is a small amount going by the MMD standard of extravagance. After all your co-accused Shikapwasha can pay it off as a small fraction of billions he may have buried in the soil like his friend Liato. no wonder he kept mute when contacted by a ZANIS reporter. Allternatively, Phiri can bail himself out of this quagmire by getting hold of the little Chanda Chimba himself and present him as payment, FINISH!
Those saying that the govt is the one eligible to pay these legal fees are dormant minded. Surely this is MMD issue and not govt issue. Sata sued ZNBC who disclosed that MMD was the genesis of Stand Up for Zambia,and Shikapwasha was MMD govt’s spokesman and basically directed ZNBC while acting together with his PS to air that program. If you can’t get anything out of this,then just shut up and keep quiet.
Govt will have to sue Shika/Phiri to proove their claim otherwise, i can predict the guys will just be quite till bailifs pounce on ZNBC.
They honor treaties and conventions past regimes entered into but shifting liabilities of the GRZ. What a legion of kaponyas we have embarrassing themselves!
Sam and LT General should be laughing at this incompetency of a circus staged by a regime of dry bones. No legal basis except in the mind of some clueless relic.
@Ricky Bobby- Go suck a dry dick!
Rules brocken were stated and secttions brocken listed.
What is important now is to really direct the offence to the real offenders and leave the innocent alone.
It is about time PF government showed maturity and let go the personal vendettas. PF are now in power and should concentrate on developing the country instead of settling personal scores. Five years is a very short time.
I am totally amazed at the very shallow level of analysis by most bloggers. I guess in comes from a culture of taking Zambians for fools (kaponyas).
The simple test in this matter is to ask yourself THE NATURE OF THE MATERIAL that was transmitted. It was MMD campaign material. Shikapwasha ABUSED his office to get that material broadcast and he should be charged with that offence and arrested if he fails to pay. Any one who for a fraction of a second thinks Shikapwasha did not abuse office and that we the kaponya Zambian tax payer will eventually pay the bill for MMD campaign material is either thinking with another part of their body than the brain or simply does not have a brain.
To such I have only one message. DONCHI KUBEBA.
I want to agree with #38 Zambian tax payer.
MMD Bootlicker is true to his colours and like his fellow MMD colleagues, they arrogantly mistake what belongs to the people (government) as belonging to them (MMD) including the bill for their campaign (Chanda Chimbwi part 3 and Shikapwasha). This is what happens when power corrupts people and they become blind to the possibility of ever serving the people from a position in the opposition. No wonder they are staging childish walk outs in parliament – they have no clue what the role of mature political opposition constitutes.
People should deal with defeat with magnimity and not forget that even losers have an important lesson to teach others (and themselves) namely that of not getting too arrogant.
Dr Phiri can not and will not get away from this one that easily. These appointments are sweet when you are chewing the benefits. If Sam Phiri (the entire doctor) did not out of principle not agree with the things that were going on, he should have handed in his resignation. But he stayed on and this signified agreement and therefore culpability in any legal misadventures. As PS, he can not plead ignorance nor indeed can anyone.
I am happy that PF is instilling responsibility in the civil service. They are appointed to serve, not just take public resources without performing. So be careful and think carefully before taking up public service positions. You might have to fork out 900 million grudhars, go to jail or both after the tour of duty
#3 MMD Chief Bootlicker you’re a no brainer yourself. how can you compare the issue of Iraq invasion which bordered on USA national security to some stupid documentary created to discredit the PF & Sata when he was in opposition using tax payers money through ZNBC? In whose interest was the ‘Stand up for Zambia’ documentary produced? It was to serve the interest of your stupid,dull old bonker & plunderer who is pleading for mercy not to go to jail. I just wished you were above board with your debates but then again, your moniker says it all you’re truly a timid licker. Maybe you should do an introspection of yourself for your nauseating remarks come across worse than those of a Kaponya you make me sick. We can never progress cause we have people who reason at your level
Common sense is that Former information Minister in the last regime, R. Shikapwasha should be held responsible to the charges claimed, period!He authorized the game to play when we went sleeping and the Ps was there drinking a beer and laughing at the programs and today he says he doesn’t know Chimba something something?oh my God, help Zambia……Donchi Kubeba
When your misappropriate funds in any institution, you can be forced to pay back. Chanda chimba’s programme was a campaign programme by MMD. Rupiah Banda used to refer to it. So, the officers who went against government regulations and lawyers advice should be made to pay for they knew fully well that they were breaking the law but they did’nt know that they were going out of government. that’s there own lack of judgement and the government has made the right decision. Shikapwasha and Phiri are still waiting for their terminal benefits. Am not an accountant but i know that you just give them the difference between the total and K900 million.
Ba #3 naimwe you are just showing your ignorance here. There are cases like this one world-over, including UK. A Conservative councilor was surcharged millions of Pounds for authorising actions by Westminster Council, in London, which were unlawful. She later skipped the country and ran off to another country. You cannot always hide behind your office and expect the tax payer to pick up the bills for unlawful actions.
LT can you give us a link to this documentary, so that we watch and understand the issue? Wonder what it’s all about to be sued for that cash. Fact of the matter is that this involves a Zambian Institution therefore should be covered by ZNBC no finger pointing Gentlemen, these are lessons learnt with bad governance.