Government not considering revoking opposition leaders’ passports – Sakeni

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Chief Government Spokesperson, Kennedy Sakeni
Chief Government Spokesperson, Kennedy Sakeni

Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni has refuted assertions that the ruling Patriotic Front would consider revoking the passports of leaders of the MMD, UPND, ULP and ZDDM following their recent trip South Africa were they petitioned the Commonwealth to suspend Zambia’s membership for alleged human rights abuses.

Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni has refuted assertions that the ruling Patriotic Front would consider revoking the passports of leaders of the MMD, UPND, ULP and ZDDM following their recent trip South Africa were they petitioned the Commonwealth to suspend Zambia’s membership for alleged human rights abuses.

Mr. Sakeni has told Qfm in a telephone interview that such assertions are unfounded as it is not the desire of the PF government to suppress citizens by revoking their passports.

Mr. Sakeni who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister says the PF government has not made any such decision regarding the alleged revocation of passports of the four opposition leaders.

During their press conference in Johannesburg Dr. Nervous Mumba, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, Mr. Sakwiba Sikota and Mr. Edwin Sakala suggested that Zambia be suspended from the commonwealth pending the outcome of an independent investigation of the country’s human rights record by an appointed envoy.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Center for Inter-Party Dialogue- ZCID- has described as pre-mature the decision by some opposition political parties in the country to seek the suspension of Zambia from the Commonwealth for alleged infringement of human rights.

The Zambia Center for Inter-Party Dialogue- ZCID- has described as pre-mature the decision by some opposition political parties in the country to seek the suspension of Zambia from the Commonwealth for alleged infringement of human rights.

ZCID Executive Director Horrance Chilando has observed that the decision taken by the MMD, UPND, ULP and ZDDM leaders was rushed as all forms of expressing their grievance on Zambia’s standing on the tolerance of human rights was not sufficiently exhausted.

Mr. Chilando has told Qfm in an interview that such rushed decisions as seeking interventions from the international community to deal with national matters may have serious consequences on the country’s ability to attract investment.

He has since urged the ruling Patriotic Front to take the initiate of calling for a national indaba to address the grievances of the opposition political parties.

72 COMMENTS

  1. The very fact that they went and came back after their visit is an indication that no one is violating them. Had they left due to political pressure or running from persecution then it would be an entirely different story. Its sad that they could not identify neutral ground within the country to make their call. It should be noted the could have been accommodated by local pressure groups or regional organisations such as COMESA, and SADC if their call was genuine. Their actions only creates more questions than answers.

    • The questions and answers are clear. Why have most people chosen to ignore basic reason for all these confrontations? It is simple! Allow opposition parties to assemble and mobilise freely within the constitutional provisions and everything will be solved. You cant have a situation where only PF can mobilise while others cant even visit Chiefs and markets. The leaders of these parties have got the right to petition anyone of their choice. If in their opinion SADC and COMESA are moribund so be it. The president should also learn to tell the truth. Lies wont help him. There is no such a thing as Criminal Asylum. In any case one does not apply for asylum and then return home for approval. it just doesnot make sense. They went to the common wealth Offices in South Africa.

    • Commonwealth offices could have communicated to through other media had they not been desperate. The levels of desperation exibited by politicans in Zambia does not encourage democratic tolerance neither does it promote a conducive environment for dialouge. Both left and right wings keep pulling further away from each other leaving a vaccum of unfulfilled needs of the electorate.

    • You must be dull. You are aware that the opposition are not allowed to assemble or even visit markets. What makes think that they were going to be allowed to assemble and discuss their concerns as you suggest.
      When you can not air your views to your wife, you go and inform your in-laws or for those non Christians will decide to separate.
      They are right to go and complain. Do you really think that Sakeni, Winter, Kambwili and the President himself can sit and discuss isues corcerning the country with Nevers and HH face to face?

    • Spon they have a hidden Agenda but their plans won’t succeed.I can’t imagine what has happened to Our Br Nevers how can he compromise as a Christisn selling your country to well known international crooks where is the fear of God. he knows Thst it’s not by mighty not by power but by the Spirit of the Amighty.I urge all meaningful Zambians to ignore these selfish leaders

    • But what I see is that ZNBC gives the opposition parties to express themselves as well as respond to government accusations. Just yesterday, Mr. NEVERS MUMBA was on ZNBC T.V saying President SATA lied. And as for any government violation of the opposition’s rights, I feel diologue is the way not advocating for sanctions as the multitude/poor will suffer.

  2. The move of the opposition must be supported, if Sata and his PF are left to run the country the way they have been doing, suppressing others then soon or later without realising we will be like Zimbabwe or Uganda. We will not allow ourselves to be taken back to the dark ages No. Let PF simply deliver like the way Kambwili is doing then they will not fear rallies or meeting chiefs or executive meetings in houses or visiting markets to buy beens.

    • HH and Nevers are aware that they are not popular so they want to create confusion in our lovely country.We have other Opposion parties who are not being hararassed per say.no one has stopped Nevers from speaking he is every holding press conference for what let him come up with strategy.

  3. Why does the government want to revoke their passports…. I am strong PF supporter but i think this is getting out of hand now. Hatred is ruining our young democracy to say the least, i thought we were fighting corruption, i guess I was wrong. Ba PF in politics things boomerang so let not through things that will haunt us back after leaving office napapata. Charge them accordingly to their wrongs but don’t humiliate them further nor use the law to chastise them

    • Umwensomo…if they abuse the preveledge of thy have, remember the passport is the property of the government. any citizen who abuses government property to commit a crime is liable. These opposition leaders are answerable especially that ajax amsterdam is using them to descredited my mother Zambia.

    • Zero Boyz you have not read what Sakeni has said properly.Sakeni is saying government is NOT CONSIDERING REVOKING OPPOSITION LEADERS PASSPORTS.He is not saying the government wants to revoke opposition leaders passports.Please read and understand before you comment!!

    • Nechisungu ni problem. Sakeni says they do not intend to revoke their passsports and you as a UPND carder pretending to be PF can’t understand. Maybe Sakeni should translate into Tonga.

  4. Please Bo Sakeni Zambians had respect for u, don’t get involved in pathological lies of Sata & his evil greed corrupt lustrous Injustice Minister Kabimba.

    Sata is heading for the worst disaster in Zambia even if he decides to use his PF Police force, he should have known that Zambians hated him during the MMD under Chiluba.

    Zambian only came to like Sata after he supported late Mwanawasa’s anti corruption fight, had Sata continued the attitude of Mwanawasa corruption fight regardless of someone’s status like evil Kabimba & Mmembe, Zambians wouldn’t have become angry as they are right now!

    Corrupt Ministers like Kabimba, Masebo & Edgar Lungu will just be lynched if Zambians act the way they did to UNIP Dictator KK in 1990

    PF just wasted their fortune like a mad person!

  5. The majority of Zambians including those in the Military, Intelligence & Police including those near State House are not happy with Sata’s corrupt govt!

    If Sata makes a mistake of using force against innocent Zambians, he will be in for a rude shock really, becaude the very people he will use against Zambians will turn their guns on Sata & his PF corrupt govt Ministers! It will be definitely the beginning of the 1990 Zambian revolution that we did against UNIP & Dictator Kaunda!

    • You are a liar we are behind our President.Its just you corrupt chaps who have no support PF has majority support country wide

  6. They went to SA, how many miners were shot dead there by police recently just because the mi.ers wanted descent salaries? If you think South Africa is better than Zambia you must be confused.

    • I can’t hold myself in view of your ignorance! Opposition leaders did not even praise South Africa, they went there to the Commonwealth Office & not South African govt office!

      U are very dull!

    • The beautiful ones are not yet born. Long live the dull ones, they can be better off than the clever ones. Its a conundrum of differences.

    • BE informed. They went to the commonwealth Offices that are based in South Africa. They did not patronize the South African Government. Please read widely not only the POST and listen to Sakeni. Lies in PF are Air to breath, Water to drink and Food to eat. Infact I should add, a religion to follow. So if you have decided that your news sources are PF vuvuzelas then you have decided to do the above. It is simple logic. If someone from Zimbabwe wants to petition COMESA, he will travel to the HQ in Lusaka. If you are in Mbala and want to petition the speaker of the National assembly you come to Lusaka!!! Ba Floyd Chitalu for once be a realist. You are too much of a blind follower. Your stance does not help Zambia at all. A nation of stooges like you never develops.

  7. 15/22013..

    “MR. KABIMBA HAS ADVISED PRES. SATA TO RECALL OR RESHUFFLE ZAMBIA’S HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE UK COL. BIZWAYO NKUNIKA BECAUSE HE DOES NOT TRUST MR. NKUNIKA & SOME EASTERNERS AS THE PRES WILL BE EXPECTED TO VISIT UK ALMOST EVERY TWO MONTHS FOR MEDICATION, A SITUATION THAT MAY RESULT IN TOO MUCH LEAKAGES.

    WHAT IS EAST GOT TO DO WITH THE PRESIDENT’S FUTURE VISITS TO UK? ONLY DOGS CAN KNOW.

    CAN ANY ONE SEAL INFO. LEAKAGES IN THIS INTERNET ERA?…
    PRESIDENT SATA TO BE VISITING UK EVERY TWO MONTHS FOR MEDICATION?

    WATCH THIS SPACE…..

  8. Thats why hakaivotela heka.
    As for nevers mumbwe mwe bantu this failed pastor cant be a president jst look at da he is bein used by ka bitter senior tribalist under 5. HHBSTU5

  10. Being accused of beating your mother in-law even if you just pointed a finger at her. Whether you do it gently or roughly, they will still blame and accuse you of having beaten your mother in-law. So the best is to just beat her hard enough, the accusation will be the same. Uwauma nafyala, kumina limo.

    • No need he is the best man we dont want crooks you chaps the majority are behind our President including many other politcal parties just wait for 2016 and see how you will be beaten no need to incite people or work with crooks

  12. I keep saying that we have been overtaken by technology. Because we have not taken care of the rudimentaries (food, shelter, security and freedom of expression), we cannot see that there are so many tools available in the world that makes it a bagless environment. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING is now under the carpet so you must be strong to be a political or public figure in this century… we are watching patiently.

    • Who said so Nevers and HH hold press conferences every week yet they are not stopped we have intelligence at work all you with hidden Agenda wil be exposed

    • @ MUSHOTA
      ”BREAK ANARCHY” ITS SUPPOSE TO BE ”CAUSE ANARCHY”
      ULIFODINI SANA MUSHOTA.
      START WORKING ON YOUR GRADE SEVEN RESULTS,YOU ARE STILL YOUNG TO MAKE IT IN LIFE.

  14. ITS SAD TO LEARN THE PATH TAKEN BY OPPOSITION LEADERS TO DISCREDIT THE EFFORTS THAT THE PF GOVERNMENT IS MADE SO FAR IN SUCH AN IRRATIONAL MANNER. AS PATRIOTIC ZAMBIANS BASED IN SA WE REGRET THE MOVE.3 WEEKS AGO THE E.NEWS CHANNEL HAD JUST COMMENDED ZAMBIA AND RWANDA AS PRIME COUNTRIES FOR INVESTMENT. THE ELECTRA MINING SHOW IN NASREC HAD INDICATED THAT ZAMBIAS ECONOMY IS GROWING FAST. CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ZAMBIA HAS EMBARKED ON IS HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA.THE CONFIDENCE IS VERY HIGH. THE ECONOMY IS BOOMING. ITS VISIBLE EVEN IN KERK STREET JOHANNESBURG WHERE ZAMBIAN BUSES ARE FOUND. ALL THIS HAS BEEN DUE TO WHAT THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IS DOING. THEREFORE,ITS TOTALLY AN PATRIOTIC FOR ANY ZAMBIAN TO DAINTY THERE COUNTRY IMAGE.

    • Zambias economy was not brought by PF iwe, you do not live in Zambia so you could not see how we have worked for this country. It is not Satan or Pathetic Failures it was MMD and I am still praising God for MMD govt. God bless Zambia. Zambia shall be saved from Poor F o o l s.

    • Spot on the minority Opposion parties are aware of this great achievent no wonder why they want to create confusion so that they scare potential investors but I can assure you they plans are futile indeed

  16. If they held that press conference within Zambia, wud they have been arrested? Whats the current govt policy political social gatherings (Public Order Act)? Somebody clear me on this one.

    • Public order act regulates the manner in which people gather and communicate. Initial intention was to control the public and their activities with regard to communication.Its was and had been necessary for societies that had not matured.The act accorded the authority to make track and accoutable individuals or groups of there action.It prevented grapevine communication.Therefore any one representing more than 2 persons if wished to communicate or gather needed to notify the authority. From 1964,zambia has never abolished the act in its penal code.

  18. I wonder if it is more than a slip that author of this story refers to the MMD leader as “Dr. Nervous Mumba” – lol.

  19. Stop using Caps in your comments people.
    I know most Zambian men are backwards, and retarded but this is sinking to the lowest ebb
    All caps is the equivalent of SHOUTING. It is difficult to read and makes you looks desperate and dull by resorting to it.

    Fun thing is, they are the same people poking at my English even when I am doing my PhD (which lets be honest they are just jealous). But in using capital letters it is similar to bad English etiquette of the lowest standards.

    And please if you don’t agree with me, you are backwards as well i am afraid.

    Thanks

    • Proof read your writing. Phd student, ACCA,CIMA, BA, NOBUPUBA. Do you really stay in scotland with a white man? your english is so pathetic. First of all, you used caps, wrong construction of sentences and failing to prove your accuracy.

  20. Firstly, comitting alleged human rights offenses against opposition leaders does not constitute grounds to expel Zambia as there is no evidence that a majority of the citizenry has had its rights violated. Secondly, note carefully, and mark my words, that the political manouvring by HH & Nevers does not exactly transition into votes. HH & Nevers are failing court the electorate by focussing on their plight. Realistically, HH & Nevers are focussed on the oppression of their cadres and not independents.

  21. Scotland is not English, it is Scottish, they also learn English like any other. So mushota can not boast of speaking or writing good English in Scotland, bupuba fye ubo. In fact Zambians use English better than the Scottish.

  22. “The opinions that are held with passion are always those for which no good ground
    exists; indeed the passion is the measure of the holders lack of rational conviction.
    Opinions in politics and religion are almost always held passionately.” – Bertrand
    Russell

  27. The opposition leaders who went to hold their conference in South Africa to air their views and petition Commonwelath to snaction Zambia did not only demonstrate cowardly behaviour but also lack of patriotism, which will haunt them.

    The Government has been unnecesarily heavy handed on opposition, when they do not even pose any threat to it, therefore the tension generated is not only unnecessary but also unfortunate. Amsterdam us making them fight battles not related to their interests, like RB’s immunity, how does that concern UPND who also accussed RB or wrong doing while he was in power, what has changed????

    Conclusion is that both the Government have made mistakes and need to correct this situation quickly and normalise plural political life.

    • @27
      I totally agree with your views but would like you to help me on patriotism, can you let me know of any Zambian leader who you would describe as patriotic, just one. I ask this because I can’t see any. All I see are selfish, thieving, corrupt, tribal, crooked, nepotistic leaders hiding behind the slogan ‘Zambia is a Christian nation’.

  28. He’s cadre he didn’t even understand what sakeni was saying he doesn’t know what revoke means and not revoking becomes even a more complicated word you know how thugs are? Ignore it its got not brain

  29. It is very difficult to believe in hh and Mumba for these chaps r hypocrites n falsehood z deir stratege.Worse still deir blind followers who r defending what can’t.Even simple language they can’t comprehend. king Solomon dealt with yo spirit.

  31. By the way how about the letter these chalatterans wrote to the UN last year?What’re the outcomes? These chaps are a replaca of that foolish woman who was taken b 4 king Solomon’s court of the Holy Bible.

  32. Zambian fought one party state and removed supper ken from power, through the ballot. We didn’t need an international lawyer to od that for ourselves.

  33. Zambia is heading for disaster. If the opposition are so disorganised then why the panic by government? Why make a meal of it? whether in South Africa or not, news is getting out of Zambia to the rest of the world about the deteriorating situation of our democracy.

  35. Prove me if Iam wrong, These people who went to South Africa, and want Zambia to be expelled from Commonwealth, they are traitors, they do not love there country, why make short cuts and run to another country, what is the parliament for, cause the majority are not members of parliament, ifi kopofye ifi panga ichongo. Nga ni Mumba, Canada is haulting him for sure, RB, ni mpundu trust fund, talelala

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