THE late Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Kennedy Sakeni managed to successfully deregulate and depoliticize the public media.
The public media namely Times of Zambia, Zambia National Broadcasting Services (ZNBC) and Zambia Daily Mail had since become the envy of the public with the unbiased, balanced and professional approach to news coverage.
Government representative Edgar Lungu said this during the burial of Mr Sakeni who was given a well-deserved heroes sendoff that was characterized with a three-gun salute by the army as mark of honour for the late minister who was put to rest yesterday in Mushinke Village in Luapula Province.
Mr Lungu who is Home Affairs Minister said with Mr Sakeni at the helm of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, Government scored landmark achievements.
These, he said, included enhancement of the flow and public access to information, which was one of the key priorities on the Government’s development agenda.
“With Mr Sakeni’s leadership, Government has managed to deregulate and depoliticize the public media, and results are there for all to see,” he said.
Mr Lungu said Mr Sakeni was a pragmatic and focused leader as evidenced by the actualization of the long awaited Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), which had been pending for many years.
“The IBA is now operational and is set to contribute significantly to the growth of the electronic media in the country,” Mr Lungu said.
Notwithstanding that, Mr Sakeni’s short but highly productive stay at the at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services resulted in the issuance of licenses for the establishment of the ‘record breaking’ 17 community and commercial radio stations and television stations countrywide in short space of time.
Mr Lungu said this brought to over 70, the number of community and commercial radio stations now on air countrywide, a thing he said was contributing immensely to a well informed society.
As Chief Government spokesperson, he said, Mr Sakeni proved pivotal in guiding the nation on various government policies and pronouncements in the development of the country.
Mr Lungu said Mr Sakeni’s successful track record extended beyond Zambia as the late minister on the international level led the country’s election as a member of the United Nations Committee on Information in New York early this year.
And Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Wynter Kabimba the party had lost committed, loyal, focused and selfless leader in Mr Sakeni who was also PF Mansa Central Member of Parliament (MP).
Mr Kabimba who is also Justice Minister said the late minister stood for good values of peace, loyalty and commitment to the party and the President.
The PF secretary general sent mourners to laughter when he recounted how Mr Sakeni scold him and Defence Minister Geoffrey Mwamba when the two had stopped talking to each following their differences some time back.
“Now that Kennedy (Mr Sakeni) is gone, GBM you should not start a fight because Kennedy will not be here to separate us,” he said amid laughter from mourners.
And Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibin’s representative Garry Nkombo said it was gratifying that Mr Sakeni held ministerial positions under all the governments in which he served.
Mr Nkombo said this showed that the late was a hardworking and trustworthy individual who inspired confidence and could be relied upon to serve the country effectively.
Earlier, Uncle to Mr Sakeni, Webby Mwansa thanked Government and in particular President Michael Sata for giving the late minister a dignified funeral.
Almost the entire Cabinet ministers and notable among them; Mr Mwamba, Fuckson Shamenda for Labour, Emmanuel Chenda, Commerce, Chishimba Kambwili, Sports, Christopher Yaluma for Mines, John Phiri for Education and his Local Government counterpart Emelyn Kabanshi attended the burial programme.
Also in attendance was a horde of deputy ministers, permanent secretaries and district commissioners from corners of the country.
Other dignitaries included heads of all the public media institutions namely Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail and ZNBC.
Kabwata MP Given Lubinda who is former Information Minister and MMD president Nevers Mumba also attended the burial of Mr Sakeni.
Mr Sakeni 56, who died last week on Thursday, is survived by a wife, Lillian and several children.
UPND cadres will not take this as truth!
Lol! What has a PF civil war got to do with cadres of another party? PF is in a civil war. Their cadres have been beating each other up. Some PF cadres are now in court over the same. GBM has been going after Kabimba and Mmembe group almost daily. And this won’t stop because of a simple hug. Haven’t we seen Sata and Banda shaking hands and smiling at each other? But that hasn’t stopped the persecution of RB and sons. What you need to do is get more popcorn and enjoy the PF drama or is it horror movie? Don’t worry about UPND or MMD cadres. They are not part of the cast!
Kabimba and his master (MuMmembe) can’t be trusted. There disgraced snakes.
Isn’t this the same Kabimba not the guy that started interviewing people to take over from Hon SAKENI long before he passed on. Don’t think we haven’t recorded that.
Kabimba will be disgraced should he set foot in Mansa.
…..it seemed to me that Hon. Kabimba was “pleading for mercy” rather than seeking reconcilliation…..
…I’m sorry but I think it’s too little to late for the ‘Bwinjimfumu Cartel’ now.
My advice (as someone more intelligent than him) to Hon Kabimba is to personally convert Fred Mmembe into a somewhat desirable character and maybe we can then start respecting both Kabimba and Mmembe.
As for now, thanks to Fred Mmembe, even GBM has for lack of options become a “good” choice just as has been Masumba, Scott, Mbulu, Mwaliteta and other corrupt immoral jokers.
This dirty Sekani had 13 to 18 children with different women. This man had deep seated hatred for UPND. I am really happy he is Dead!! We can now move on with our lives. I would have loved to take him out myself, but the disease did beat me to it.
Thanks!
They should go and embrace in Northmead.
yes they must enbrace in northmead not kumalilo… i know why kabimba did that!! because he felt threaten by nostradamus and his army who wanted to effect a citizen arrest on him!!!
That Kabimba is tricky, he behaved good at that funeral. We thought this is chance to arrest him in Luapula, but how can you arrest such a person sending people who supposed to be crying into laughing.
Anyway, thank you Ba Sakeni, you did your best as a minister.
Typical acting by MuMmembe’s minion. NO WAY, MuMmembe has been disgraced and rendered irrelevant.
GBM, be careful with this minion. He knows his seating on a HOT POT. His embracing you at a colleagues funeral shouldn’t be mistaken for truce. Kabimba has to be FIRED. DON’T YOU TRUST SNAKES PLEASE.
read the story ka headline ka fake.
I really feel sorry for these polititians, they think they dont need each other, dont they know everyone is living on borrowed oxygen? Ine uluse mwe.
Whatever you people say, Kabimba has more substance than GBM.
FUNNY – Will take that as a Joke of the day.
More immoral substance you mean?
or infected substance?
Yes, a dignified burrial for Sakeni-because he left, if I may say so, at the “right” time.
Most of these guys will be fed to their relatives the hyenas.
If you’re doubting wait and see, it’s not that far!
So battle is between the 2 and sata is out of the game. Meanwnhile cadres clashed in the komboni as their rebel leaders embraced
LT- you have insulted Shamenda- you will be sued ati F-U-C-K-S-O-N…you chaps are naughty there’s no way you missed that…yaba I am using ba mukabene’s computer have to go…naunfwa motoka…was sevricing n someone’s behalf
Over and above that, I wish to pay my due regard and honor to the Hon Speaker Matibini, for delegating an opposition UPND MP and Vice President to the funeral, on his behalf. I think that’s as considerate as it is unprecedented.
Not long ago, Kabimba, GBM, Mwaliteta and as a matter of fact the late Sakeni,(MHSRIP) were part of the PF team that had Nkombo locked up for ‘murder'(trumped up) in a Livingstone By election.
For the Speaker to facilitate this public rubbing of shoulders is refreshing and is a sign of Statesmanship. I’m sure Mr Matibini realizes that sending a PF cadre as Parliament’s representative would have been a real bore. People are tired of these people’s tired faces and old monotonous speeches, its like they ve been in power for 30 years!
Well said my bro. It’s great to see BA Nervous Mumba & Hon Garry Nkombo at Hon Sakeni’s funeral. As for Hon Kabimba & Uncle GBM we honestly believe you have made amends. Hope your cadres are now ashamed of the bloodshed ‘ will change for the better. No more fighting so you’ve both said in front of the entire world. Please stick go that. To the Sakeni family my heartfelt condolences.
Well said my bro. It’s great to see opposition politicians like ba Nevers Mumba & Hon Garry Nkombo at Hon Sakeni’s funeral. As for Hon Kabimba & Uncle GBM we honestly believe you have made amends and will work together for the bdtterment of mother Zambia. Hope your cadres are now ashamed of the bloodshed & will change for the better. “No more fighting” so you’ve both said in front of the entire world. Please stick to that. To the Sakeni family my heartfelt condolences. May the almighty God give you strength through this trying moment.
Nkombo is not UPND vice president! Don’t mislead people. UPND has two veeps, Canisius Banda and Richard Kapita.
Sakeni left 18 children, from 5 different women all bembas
very wrong bwana because I know the first wife was Tonga
So what?
What are you trying to prove?
Pathetic tribalist !
We shall see how long it will last. GBM and Kabimba unless they put their ambitions aside. Kabimba is stubborn and therefore will try to win the fight between them. Media and what happens behind the scenes are totally different things.
So sad RIP.
The news readers accent is funny mwe.. Soooomba, chuuuldrenie, really funny.
So what???
Depends where you come from & who taught you English.
Why borrow a foreign accent ??
Be yourself!!!!
Kabimba and GBM can embrace in public as a human relation stunt; but both men’s had actually clandestinely set-on the bush fires that will soon ravage the PF pillars to rubble and ash content.
@katalina, if u ‘re referring to me there’s quite a lot to prove to tribalists like anyoko whose mention of hon sakeni’s ‘bemba’ wives is not only pathetic but disgusting to say the least. to abhorrents of tribalism like me it simply doesn’t matter where mr sakeni married from.MHSRIP
Awe ba changala. Teimwe. I’m referring to the ***** anyoko who is saying 5 wives all bembas. He is foolish & tribalistic. Imwe muli Bantu sana