him with the Grand Commander of the Companion Order of Freedom during
the investiture ceremony at State House in Lusaka
The Media Institute of Southern Africa Zambia chapter has called for the immediate scraping off of the “Publication of False News” from the laws of zambia.
The institute said it is saddened with the recording of a warn and caution massage from Hot FM Station Manager Changwe Kabwe for allegedly publishing false news about the president’s health.
MISA Zambia chairperson Hellen Mwale has condemned the Zambia police for recording a warn and caution from Mr. Kabwe when he did all he could to ensure that he had facts on the story in which he even called the president’s assistant Mr. George Chella for clarification and his voice was played during the news.
“We have been ably informed that Mr George Chella, the president’s spokesperson gave a response to this matter which was played on the station several times. Therefore, the station was playing its duty by informing the nation of what the correct position was regarding the matter and therefore cannot amount to publication of false news to cause fear and alarm.
“This step by the Zambia Police is uncalled for, as President Michael Sata was voted for by the people of Zambia who do have the right to know what is happening to him and this should never amount to a crime”.
Police in Lusaka yesterday warned and cautioned HOT FM News editor Changwe Kabwe for allegedly publishing false news contrary to section 67 of the laws of Zambia.Mr Changwe who arrived at the police Force Headquarters in the company of his lawyer Marshal Mucheende and Station Manager Oscar Chavula at about 10:00 hours was interrogated for about an hour before the police decided to warn and caution him.
Mr. Muchende of Dindi and Company described the summoning of the journalist as direct assault on the freedom of the press in Zambia. Mr. Muchende said that the summoning and pending arrest of Mr Kabwe was aimed at sending chilling and intimidatory effects on Zambian journalists so that they stop investigative journalism.
He said that the constitution was clear on the matter by guaranteeing freedoms of the Press and provided that there shall be no derogatory or claw back clauses or exception whatsoever in the freedom of the press and that police was directly assaulting the very same provisions of the constitution.
Mr. Muchende explained that the offence of publication of false information had taken centre stage in the manner the police were managing the law.He explained that it was the same charge which Richard Sakala, Simon Mwanza of the Daily Nation and McDonald Chipenzi of FODEP are facing and awaiting the determination of the High Court.
“These people were charged under section 67 of the laws of Zambia, there is also another case Hakainde Hichilema vs the people, you may also be aware that the provision of section 67 have been referred to the High Court for constitutional determination, so for me this is about intimidating journalists,” said Mr. Muchende.
MISA Zambia chairperson Hellen Mwale said her institution is amazed with the level of intimidation being exhibited by government using state machinery on a straight forward and democratic matter and right.
Ms. Mwale has demanded for the immediate repeal of the ‘publication of force news law’ so as to make the media and public enjoy their rights to freedom of expression and access to information.
“Based on the above reasons and the careless use and broad translation of what could constitute publication of false news and how it has become a weapon for intimidating journalists,we demand for the repeal of this law in order for the media and the citizens to enjoy their inherent rights to freedom of expression and access to information”.
Where is Hitler,Musolini,Idi Amini,Saddam Hussein,Gaddafi..? PF your days are numbered.Zambia police basop, you are there to serve Zambians and not intimidate the very people those &*%$ in PF were elected to serve.Your days are numbered too.
@Maharaj, Suffering for Sata has started already while during his stay at state house. Sata right now can’t even enjoy his president. Thats why he is transferring his own pain onto his opponents. These are the repercussions of coming into power through deceptions, and lies. Mukafilila mulunsenga. I just feel sorry for Mulenga Sata as he doesn’t know what awaits him.
The police in zambia are very impartial
They do a wonderful job and are not as bad as the press make of them
This is just propaganda aiming at goading the public against the police.
Onwards and upwards with PF
Thanks
This article should have just been two paragraphs. There is only a very tiny fraction of worthwhile journalists in Zambia.
Those were more resourced leader with heavy military and political investment. Zambia Police needs an overhaul – a fresh start. We cannot accuse politicians for this irresponsible conduct. I would urge the opposition and journalist including MISA to write down the names of police officers involved in these arrests. When PF is history, we shall publish thier names and request the new government to retire them . The lawyers and Judges who are part of the Law have a mature way of maintaining their integrity but the police want to make us believe that their conscience is in state house – zero, not any more. Let us start keeping a record – they have reduced the noble profession and likened it to that of irresponsible party cadres and stone throwers who do anything for a packet of chibuku
I actually want to be on the firing squad to slaughter those useless PF police when we take over government.
the levels of brainwashing and public manipulation using the media is astonishing. You say saddam was evil, gadaffi was evil and the americans did a good job to these “evil men” removed. but what do you say about their countries now, which have turned into living hell after they deposed off. Iraq is a mess, libya is a mess yet they have the so called american democracy. dont just watch CNN and chritian amanpour, try to be balanced. the real dictators are Barack Obama for doing that to libya, a soveriegn state, George Bush for doing that Iraq. Please people tukamyeka kanga ati isuleni amenso yenu!!! the world is not what you think it is, they have placed an illusion right infront of your eyes. Ati Idi Amin used to eat people where sure, and you believe such nonsense!!!! Ati Mugabe is evil
@Maharaji – “History has taught us that people never learn from History”
Zambian Police Officers Are Dogs, And Not Just Mere Dogs As Some Dogs Are Very Good But Lunatic Dogs Who Cannot Differentiate Between What Is Good And Bad, What Is Wrong And Right, What Is Honorable And Indecent. They Follow The Command Even When It Takes Them To Destruction.
Simply Put; They Are I.D.I.O.T.S. Immoral Dogs Immigrating On Truth-less Service.
Some One Must Clean Up The Service Of Such Worthless Men And Women Or Simply Put Criminals Hiding As Police (Cadres) In Police Uniforms.
Like Father Like Son = Like Appointing Authority Like The Appointees Useless.
SADDAM IS DEAD,HITTLER IS ALSO DEAD AND SATA IS SICK AT THE POINT OF JOINING THE ABOVE MENTIONED WORKMATES
You should be ashamed at wishing someone dead, and who told you you will live way beyond Mr Sata
Stop hiding behind that computer and realise that Karma will remember your words one day
It is silly childish and unforgivable to wish anyone die at all.
I hope Mr Sata leads Zambia beyond 2021
And I sincerely hope you realise how silly your comment was and not repeat it.
Thanks
Pantu iwe nelyo Yesu akesa niwe ukamupokelela…..Why always its death,sick come on talk about something progressive that can help take your immortal man go to state house.
Some applies to you… Says the Bible.
If ugly HH fails in 2016, it will be 20 years in opposition, we cannot allow another ugly president in Zambia who does not look after his Hair and dress code. he doesn’t impress Zambians, maybe part of Zambia???????
you call HH urgly,what about that clown in state house nechunsu? that is your cutest man? if you were a woman I bet even a hippo to you would be handsome and accept him as your suitor.besides, its not the outward appearance a wise person is looking for but the grey matter upstairs not rotten grey matter coz of age
yes doti ba HH you are right he is not presidential material ifiko doti mabisi mabisi
Muharaji be careful,mind what you say,those guys kutuma station are so childish and they should be careful….peace
Publication of False News – It hurts if that false news is on you. Some falsfication of news can be too detriment to anyone, any family, any community, any country, any race, name them. Cooking up stories can be very detriment to whoever that news is about. I doubt anyone would like false news be circulated and him/her or them. A case of judgement.
is to say that someone is sick a publication of false information? besides, if you are not in deed sick why bother about what people say? prove the people wrong by being seen working and addressing them via press conferences then all this hullabaloo will melt away, simple
Judge careful with what you write
dictators die sooner than their time..watch the space..
PF is better in opposition. They entertained us. No more entertainment because the current opposition are serious and not comedians like PF.
………ati aile namafi kubuko,,,thats why they are good leaders for they started noble works while in opposition. Now you even in opposition you can not shine ,then where and when??? Teti amafi yaye ku state house for they can’t listen.
We the people…..fwe bantu ifwe…..have seen no hidden agendas in such a law if anything we must look at it closely and improve on it. And the publication of false news is not a new piece of law in Zambia it is in the penal code only that may be lacked people to enforce it. When young I very much wanted to be a journalist but discouraged by relatives. For sure this profession is for pathological liars who are beyond redemption. Ba mama would describe them as “abantu aba lembelelwa ku bufi” ba ka vundula manzi.
Your thinking is too shallow! You are as shallow as Sata himself!
Hip hip burret.sata must just die
Bakapokola! Awe mwe!!!!
Maby he is busy pampering himself and forgot about tge people. We want hh and not a cabb-age
Zambia is a great country!
I remember VJ commenting on Mwanawasa that he is ok and jogging in London! The truth shall soon come to pass. What Zambia needs is a ntungulushi not kateka because kateka ateka ne mbwa!
Bane Yesu alilanda ati …ililileni mwebene for you do not know when your time to depart planet earth comes upon you, abalwala sana balashala abatuntulu baya … Inkama Yaba na Lesa, epo mpelele !
I just wonder! what will George Chela do after 2016 when Sata is no longer in power! Chela do you sometimes reflect for the future on what you will do with your life? I hope you are in touch with your colleague Anthony Mukwita! You are too young to behave like you are an immortal. Days are numbered like 1,2,3,4,….etc until your turn comes. Live long to see a Zambia with your employer out of power.
MISA is full of low caliber people at the moment, why are they encouraging mediocre journalism? George Chella is not a president’s medical doctor to be making comments about his healthy! A good reporter should get an expert opinion from the people who treating the president before making any announcement concerning the president or any individual for that matter. These MISA chaps should know that medical records are protected by law, you cannot just print or announce someones medical information without consent of the patient! Just because Chella is a spokesman for the president, it does not mean that he has the power to be divulging confidential personal medical information about the president. What happened to professional ethics in journalism to support plagiarism and fabrications??!
A spokes person carries the authority of the institution or the individual. Why is George then allowed to post comments on fb, release statements as if he’s the President? He is speaking for Sata and his words are the same as if they are coming from the incumbent. If George says Sata is sick, then its Sata himself who is admitting that he’s unwell. If this were not right, why does George still have a job? Further, medical doctors can only comment if they examine Sata and he wont allow that – bearing in mind the way he insulted Mwanawasa and said he would die, why should the nation spare him now?
Okay now my brothers, my sisters, fellow country men – surely if he is not sick, why doesn’t he just come out and tell us so himself?
What an indecent government! Sata has destroyed our lovely country.
Chela and other police officers will be in trouble very soon bcoz Sata is going soon. Plz may u list down the names of police office
If there are any relics or remnants of intelligent personnel in the Zambia Police, one cardinal fact that should have regulated their behaviour during the course of the duties is knowledge that their salaries and allowances they earn are the direct sweat of the Zambian Tax Payers.
The stance taken by most senior Police Officers is suicidal in that democracy will ensure that political power will revolve among a diversity of political parties. Therefore, their allegiance to an individual politician will certainly limit their profession to the life/lives of the tyrants they are currently propping up against the humble people of Zambia.