Friday, March 29, 2024

Post Newspapers ‘special’ edition sold out as Amnesty International condemns its closure

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Post copies selling outside the offices
Post copies selling outside the offices

The controversial Wednesday edition of the Post Newspapers was sold out within hours of hitting the streets.

The newspapers firm managed to get a special edition out after Zambia Revenue Authority seized its assets and equipment virtually grinding its operations to a halt following a tax row.

The limited special edition which was printed from a secret location was selling at an increased cover price of K15, up from K10.

The Newspaper, in a notice on its front page explained that the price increase was due to the circumstances in which it has found itself during this period.

But the increase in its cover price did not deter readers who scrambled for the limited copies that went around shortly before lunch.

Some readers took to social media to offer to buy a copy at K20 from those that had the most sought after copy describing it as souvenir item.

And the closure of the Post Newspaper has attracted widespread condemnation with media defence and human rights groups across the world calling on President Edgar Lungu to intervene.

Amnesty International said the closure of The Post newspaper is a disturbing development clearly designed to silence critical media voices.

Amnesty International’s Director for Southern Africa Deprose Muchena said the closure of the Post is an attempt to silence independent media voices in the country ahead of an election.
 
Mr Muchena said the shutting down of one of Zambia’s main independent newspapers in the run-up to an election is an affront to media freedom and the authorities should immediately reverse their decision.

And the International Press Institute (IPI) also condemned the seizure of The Post newspaper which led to its shutting down of operations.

IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis said the organisation condemns the seizure of The Post which is all the more disturbing given its proximity to the upcoming election.

Mr Ellis said the misuse of state authority to silence the only major media outlet giving opposition parties a platform can only be seen as an effort to deny voters the information they need to make an informed decision about their future and an assault on democracy.

“We urge the government to reverse this decision and allow The Post and all media outlets in Zambia to report the news freely and without pressure.”

On Tuesday, ZRA ordered the closure of the publishing company Post Newspapers Limited, demanding over K53 million in tax arrears.

But the newspaper says that ZRA is selectively applying the law to attack the news organisation.

Last year on 15 July 2015, Police arrested The Post’s Editor in Chief Fred M’membe and one of its journalists, Mukosha Funga, for an article published that March regarding a corruption scandal involving State House aide Kaizer Zulu.

Mr M’membe and Ms. Funga were arrested, spent a night in custody and charged with publishing classified information, before being released on bail before the state entered a nolle prosequi.

45 COMMENTS

  1. This is the end of PF.
    We know the reason why you want Post closed. The money was paid long before Tuesday. You want to paint a picture that the post has not be paying tax and yet you created some errors deliberately is taxes so that it may take time to sort out the problem.
    You paid some bloggers to write comments in support of ZRA in order to suppress the reaction of people who are against.
    Your dirty games have been exposed. Shame on you ba PF.

    This personal hatred will not take you anywhere but out of Government so that you can account for your misdeeds.
    We had some politicians in the past who were more powerful ,where are they today?

    • You’re right Polombe, visionless PF & Lungu are going.
      In a couple of weeks, Lungu & his anarchical PF bandits will be voted out in a landslide victory for UPND. HH is politically informed than the PF cohorts who have no feelings for post newspaper workers. Lungu & PF bandits don’t care about the poor Zambians, so long his lunatic asylum cadres are violently full of blood from innocent.
      Lungu are Lungula & must be logged out on 11~8.
      Vote Wisely Zambians for HH & UPND to move FORWARD!
      The Skeleton Key
      ~206~

    • All those organisations condemning ZRA, why can’t you pay the taxes on behalf of the POST so that they can reopen? It’s as simple as that! If an individual like me can pay taxes, what more an organisation like the POST? Just pay bane.

    • Continue cheating yourselves, PF will still be in power after August 11th. The Bantusta n party(to borrow Membes words) is not going to be anywhere near the presidency of Zambia. HH warned us that people will rise up agaist the gov’t if the POST is closed, I am still waiting for the mass demonstrations he promised us……..mukose!

    • GOD HAS WITHDRAWN WISDOM FROM LUNGU’S HEAD. I SEE POWER DRIFTING FROM EDGAR LUNGU TO HAAKAINDE HICHILEMA. FROM PF TO UPND. ZAMBIANS SHOULD BELIEVE IN THE SAVING POWERS OF GOD. GOD WILL SAVE US FROM THIS MONSTER, THIS WOLF IN SHEEP SKIN, THIS EDGAR LOOTER LUNGU. THE HAND OF THE LORD IS UPON ZAMBIA. EDGAR LUNGU WILL HAVE A BAD AND SAD ENDING. ZAMBIANS HAVE NOW HATED LUNGU THE MORE FOR HIS NONSENSICAL ACTION AGAINST THE POST AND OF COURSE AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA. THIS DICTATOR IN THE MAKING MUST GO BEFORE HE BECOMES TOO BIG A MONSTER THAT NOBODY CAN CHALLENGE HIM ANYMORE. LUNGU’S TRAITS ARE QUICKLY TRANSLATING INTO DICTATORIAL TRAITS.

    • IN HIS SHALLOW MIND LUNGU THINKS HE IS FIXING THE POST AND YET HE FIXING HIMSELF. HE DOESN’T REALIZE THAT HE IS DECAMPAIGNING HIMSELF. THE CLOSURE OF THE POST HAS CAUSED MORE HARM TO LUNGU THAN TO THE POST. HE IS FACILITATING HIS EXIT. WELL DONE LUNGU!
      YOU ARE SHOWING TO THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA HOW INEPT AND INCOMPETENT YOU ARE. IF YOU CANNOT SEE HOW DESTRUCTIVE THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE POST WOULD BE TO YOURSELF, HOW CAN YOU MAKE GOOD AND SOUND DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE NATION? KUYA BEBELE.

    • The most disturbing thing is that the same ZRA owes us a lot of money in unpaid VAT refunds. Chiwamila galu. ECL made a deadly mistake of associating himself with selfish people in the likes of RB. That man has a grudge with Zambians for the manner he was removed from the office. Nothing good will come out from him. BA ECL bakaya with their humbleness.

  2. IN THIS DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY WE LIVE IN!

    WE HAVE A PRESIDENT TRYING TO SILENCE AN ORDINARY CIVILIAN LIKE ONE OF HIS CHILDREN!

    NO! THE POST IS A CORPORATION WITH ITS OWN PARENTS WHO HAVE CAREFULLY NURTURED IT FOR 25 YEARS!

    WHY WOULD A PRESIDENT ATTEMPT TO USE STATE MACHINERY TO SILENCE WHAT IS FOR THE PEOPLE AND NOT HIS?

    WE ARE A MAJORITY AND I PROMISE YOU! THIS LAST BLOW IS FOR LUNGU NOT THE POST!

    NO SYMPATHY! WE WILL EAT YOUR MONEY AND VOTE ELSEWHERE! WE DID IT WITH RUPIAH! WE DID IT WITH CHILUBA! NOW YOUR TURN!

    AS DUMB WITTED AS YOU ARE THE PEOPLE SUPPORT THE PAPER! EVEN YOUR OP AGENTS SEE INSTEAD OF MAKING A LOSS! THE PAPER HAS GAINED SYMPATHY AND MUCH MORE PROFITABLE!

  3. THE POST HAS RESOURCES SCATTERED ACROSS THE WORLD AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THEY HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STRONG AND A RESILIENT LEADER WHO SPEAKS ON BEHALF OF THE MASSES!

    HE MAY HAVE HIS FAULTS! SO DOES EACH HUMAN BUT NEVER HAS HE HURT HIS PEOPLE!

    LUNGU ON THE OTHER IN CONJUNCTION WITH HIS MINIONS IS DOING SOMETHING THAT CONTRIBUTES TO ZAMBIA ALREADY NEGATIVE!

    ONE DAY! NO WATER! THE OTHER DAY! NO ELECTRICITY! THE OTHER DAY! NO MEALIE MEAL!

    WHAT IS THIS?

    THE MONEY ONLY COMES OUT WHEN YOU NEED YOUR RANGE ROVERS OR PRIVATE JETS WITH YOUR EXPENSIVE JAMESON! AND YOU WANT THE POST TO SUFFER FOR THAT?

    NO! THIS ONE! YOU ARE GONE MY FRIEND!

    YOU MUST KNOW, YOU HAVE DUG YOUR OWN GRACE VERY WELL! WHAT YOU ARE SIMPLY DOING IS JUST LOWERING YOUR COFFIN! SOON WE THE PEOPLE WILL BURY…

  4. JUST PAY UP AND ALL WILL BE WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. Why is the Post in a hurry to condemn others when it can not put its own house in order? Inkongole sha chabe baba!

    • What part of they paid can’t you get in your thick skull? Take time to see how the ZRA work my friend. There is always an invisible hand. They also make mistakes which are normal and that is why they never close companies owing them. Please point the companies which have been closed so far. Why post? it is obvious the advisors are doing more harm to ECL than good.

  5. It will be scramble for properties when dbz gets belliffs to recover their money. Other debtors are also on the door waiting. Ukose Fred. Nkongole zapakisa. Explains why he sending emisaries to state house so Ecl can intervene. No this is not state house operation but zra.

  6. Amnesty International condemns its closure, let the post pay the tax no one will shut it down. if u feel so pay for them not just condemning the stance. is the post special not to tax

  7. In order to develop as a nation companies and pipo should pay tax.ZRA just collect taxes on behalf of govt.We can’t expect anything in the country if pipo are not paying taxes.When govt makes a budget it depends on the ZRA to collect the taxes.Where do u expect salaries of civil servants to come from if we are not paying taxes.The same Post is saying why the salaries are being delayed but they are forgeting that civil servants to make any money hence salaries depend on companies which pay taxes.Kuwayawafye mu Zambia.I have never seen pipo like us who just support anything even it’s stupiiiiid.I pay tax when should Fred fail to pay in the name of politics?

    • Of course you are Ar.se! How about a convicted Thief Lungu? The Post have never been convicted as a thief by any court in Zambia. Lungu is a known convict and records are there!!

  8. Amnesty International try to tell that to the USA or any Developed Western Country and see whether they will accept your biased myopic view…You are just a funded NGO with no legitimacy to comment on Zambian Taxation Laws hence, concentrate on solving issues on immigrants dieing in the Red Sea…

  9. I always ask myself why certain decisions made are so untimely that a normal person will always see the obvious. Where have they been all this time? I guess the ZRA are partly to blame for not taking action earlier before campaign time. One thing most Zambians do not understand is the issue of “negative reporting”. The fact is most of us like to hear the good news because very few people like to share it. A good decision is mostly made when you consider the bad as well so that you mitigate the consequences. It is not that the Post does not see anything good but that its reporting concentrates on the other side requiring improvement which is supposed to be the work of the pressure groups. That is how the previous government made amends to the decisions made hence looking good to the…

  10. I did not know that Amnesty International and International Press Institute are surrogates for law breaker. This is a business transaction you mother chakuti. Since when did they start representing tax defaulters? A defaulter who take pride in refusing to pay his taxes? Do they not know that the matter has been exhausted in our courts of law? Or are they telling us that they have no respect for the rule.of law? Whether this is election year or not, taxes must be paid like me and everybody else. This thing of tax did not start yesterday, has Mmembe and his international cohorts just woken up to realise that 2016 is election year? Where were the Amnesty nonsense when Mmembe refused to pay his taxes all these years?
    Gentlemen, you are same fools who want to teach us the rule of law, well we…

  11. It’s heartrending to see citizens advocating for anarchy! Why did Fred M’meme fail to remit taxes that he collected on behalf of Government? This is not about press freedom, its about an individual who is quick to condemn and dispense judgement on the rest of society and yet, fails to respect the laws of the land. Amnesty International must stop condemning things for the sake of, Fred is not a victim, in fact he must be sued by his workers for stealing their P.A.Y.E! This guy was given all the necessary channels to resolve this impasse, he used the Judicial process and the Courts have upheld that he should PAY! And unless he pays, I demand a full reimbursement of all the TAXES I have remitted to the Government for the last 16 years! Enough already!

    • And how do you know its the P.A.Y.E. taxes they failed to pay? It could be import taxes on equipment. I would like to see their financial statements from the last 3 years before making judgement. Some simple minded bloggers don’t know the difference between owing taxes and evading taxes as they try to compare what would happen if the post were in the USA. They would be put on a payment plan not shutdown smh.

  12. So The Post is a new political party.

    Why doesn’t AI pay the outstanding taxes on behalf of The Post?

    AI’s double standards are clear here. They will urge that taxes must be paid by the rich only when it gives them a chance for headlines and then contradict themselves in this instance.

    Be realistic and not emotive and decisive.

    • Yes of course everyone knows that AI and IPI are part of the cartel, it’s obvious. Go drink another one

  13. Those who feel aggrieved about the closure of the past… ooooh.. the post must realize that paying tax is law and no one is above the law. I believe Fred M’Membe is a lawyer and he understands these things so let him just pay and ZRA will allow him to operate freely. Drawing the name of the President into these things is not going to help him because it’s not him who accrued those debts.

  14. Timbwi, remember this case was taken to the courts of law and this is when the courts ruled in favour of ZRA so don’t think that it’s because of the elections. Paying Tax is a biblical thing so it’s not a big deal, let the Post just pay end of story.

  15. WHEN THE POST INSULT INNOCENT PEOPLE YOU FEAR TO CONDEMN THE AMNESTY IS QUITE. EVERY CITIZEN DESERVES RESPECT. HOW MANY PIPO HAVE BEEN “CONVICTED” BY THE POST? IF THE JUDGE GOES DIFFERENT FROM THE POST THEN IS CORRUPT. HOW MANY PIPO HAVE BEEN BLACKMAILED BY THE POST ASK DR. NEO SIMUTANYI THE AMNESTY HAS BEEN QUITE. WHY CAN’T YOU ALSO CONDEMN NOT PAYING TAX BECAUSE IT IS NOT ONLY THE POST BUT IT SET A TREND OF OTHER COMPANIES TO BECOME UN TOUCHABLE. EVEN YOU UPNDs YOU CAN EVEN SHAMELESS CHAMPION THE POST ONLY A FEW MONTHS AGO IT WAS A NO GO AREA FOR YOU. PLEASE WE NEED FREE MEDIA FOR FAIR COVERAGE NOT TO BE ABUSED BY THE OWNERS OR REPORTERS. THE SYNDROME OF THE FRIEND OF MY ENEMY IS MY ENEMY SHOULD COME TO AN END. OWNERS & REPORTERS OF PRINT, ELECTRONIC MEDIA, PRIVATE OR PUBLIC SHOULD…

  16. @ gono i can see that you are least informed. The post where given a payment plan which they never adhered to.
    Coming to Amnesty international are you suggesting that the post should have been closed after elections??, anyway the post has been closed now because the matter was in supreme Court and now that the ruling is that post needs to pay hence the pouncing. I see nothing sinister with zra’s action. BRAVO ZRA

  17. M’membe the small god has met and tasted his own vomit. Doe the Post think it can manipulate us any more? Well, the fact is, many if not the who Zambia is happy that M’membe and his stooges have been made to respect the law.
    Its plain simple, PAY THE OWED TAXES TO ZRA, BE COMPLIANT, AND GO ON WITH YOUR BUSINESS AND NO ONE CARES. I stopped buying the Post immediately M’membe exposed himself after the demise of late President Sata. From 2011 up until 2014 when president Sata died, the Post was pro PF and not one single day did it condemn the PF but immediately its schemes were laid bare, the Post became hostile to PF and President Lungu.
    Fortunately for us, we all know the plans that M’membe had but thank God he has been exposed and his intentions known, so let him die of bitterness…

    • Post has remained true to the original PF, not this RB-led cartel of hijackers. Lungu is coasting drunk on the achievements of MCS and people like Scott. Lungu himself has achieved nothing more than what he snatched

  18. We really need the post. ZRA executive must resign for showing high level biasness in discharging their duties.

  19. Next Chanda or Kambwili will be saying Amnesty International and IPI are part of the cartel and will be deported… Minis checking where they are based. I know they already deported Bloomberg and Moody because they stated some facts kikikiki

  20. I knew that the Post would become even more popular after this closure. They have defied all odds by publishing after closure.

  21. We will see how long you will last printing from a secret location. I hope he is remitting the VAR he is charging at those exorbitant prices

  22. Nowadays it looks like LT has rigged its own voting process cos every time I vote for pro PF views it does not register and I notice that only pro UPND votes register. It won’t help win elections cos actually voters don’t read internet

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