Chief Government Spokesman Chishimba Kambwili has asked Scottish Actress Louise Linton to retract her article promoting her book in which she described Zambia as a war torn country with children ravaged with HIV.
In an interview Dr Kambwili said the article and Ms. Linton’s book titled ‘In Congo’s Shadow’ does not portray the true picture of the Zambian situation.
He said he will soon be engaging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to see how Government can get Ms Linton to apologise to Zambia publicly over what he called misleading articles about Zambia.
Dr Kambwili said it is incorrect to paint Zambia as a war ravaged country when the country is known world over as a beacon of peace.
He said Ms Linton’s write up is simply a fragment of her wild imagination.
“We are very disappointed that the young lady was hosted in this country and she ended up painting a bad picture of our beautiful country in her write up. It is very unfortunate and we will ask her to retract her write up and apologise,” Dr Kambwili said.
He added, “She is a very irresponsible person and whoever gave her that information must apologise to Zambians. That writing is in bad faith and the source is not legitimate, we are extremely disappointed as Government and we will be engaging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get an apologise.”
Zambians took to social media to highlight factual errors in Ms. Linton’s self-published memoir about her gap-year in Zambia.
The Twitter storm broke out after excerpts of the book, In Congo’s Shadow were published on July 1 in the British Newspaper The Telegraph.
The hashtag being used is #LintonLies.
In the book, which came out in April, Ms. Linton waxes poetic about her trip to the continent nearly two decades ago.
Ms. Linton later tweeted a short statement in response to the criticism.
“I wrote this book with the hope of conveying my deep humility, respect and appreciation for the people of Zambia and my sincere hope of making a positive impact there as an 18-year-old volunteer in 1999. I speak at length about the country’s incredible beauty and my immense gratitude for the friendships and experiences I had there. My aim has only ever been to honour Zambia.”
She wrote: “I am genuinely dismayed and very sorry to see that I have offended people as this was the very opposite of my intent. “I wrote with the hope of conveying my deep humility, respect and appreciation for the people of Zambia as an 18yr old in 1999. “I wrote about the country’s incredible beauty and my immense gratitude for the experiences I had there.”
Linton’s father, William Hay, today defended her account.
And Linton’s father has defended William Hay has defended his daughter’s account.
Mr Hay who runs the Edinburgh-based family business, said: “As far as I can remember of what she said on her return that was the situation.
“The place was raided. I think the gamekeeper was shot dead.
“They trekked into the bush a bit and I got a phone call when she got to the nearest phone.”
Discussing the lodge and area Linton was staying, he said it was a “primitive hotel” which “was certainly not a sophisticated environment”.
He denied allegations that her book degrades Zambians by painting her as a “white saviour”, saying: “She had great respect for them.”
Mr Hay did, however, suggest that the manuscript of the book was changed by the publisher “and she was not happy with the story”.
He added: “She was really quite disappointed and quite embarrassed.”
whatever ,,,,
If Zambia was not war-torn before, it will be after August 2016 if Chakolwa rigs the elections. Chimbwili should apologise to Zambians for PF committing atrocities against opposition members and carrying out xenophobic attacks. Zambia is surely a failed state under PF. Linton jumped the gun – the real collapse of Zambia into a tribal jungle started in 2011.
The verses she wrote are not satanic
I now have reasonable evidence to believe that living and staying in a poor country deprives one of brain matter….
How many bad things are written about the USA, UK, Canada in books? None of these countries ministers have the time to spend asking an 18 years old girl to apologise to a country. I thank God i left Zambia before it went to the DOGS
When an elephant responds to a mosquito, the mosquito starts feeling very important. I personally feel government should have had kept quite about it. This will just end up giving the woman more sales and leverage (popularity)
Necklace Kambwili has spoken! Chikunkubiti
Its case of an illiterate baboon who thinks he his educated….. fit to be caged and shown in a circus
@ Saulosi and The Engineer…..lol…but what do you expect from such an extremely low calibre chimps in government…..I am glad I left Zambia too…..and whether people condemn this gal for this, they need to realise that there is also forecasting writing, and this book could be true post 11 Aug
Ugly Kambwilli, have you ever heard -freedom of speech and right to speak. You as a third class baboon know nothing but to gnash your ugly teeth on everybody who does not bow before you or say good things about you and equally ugly masters of yours. Shut up.
harder nabena ck,thats why i hate whites
Yes, that is what we need! Let all channels be used to discipline this stupid ***** who is now claiming false innocence about the things she knew were foolish to do – which she did with intent! How can the manuscript be changed by the publisher and the author allows the book to be release for public consumption if they are not in agreement? And the stupid father typical of a racist white supremacy attitude goes to defend what he does not even understand! That is why KK banned the stupid peace corps scheme of the USA, which adds no value but creates adventure for young Americans and an opportunity misinform their people more about the continent and its people thereby perpetrating the negative stereotypes about black people and their wonderful continent. Come on please, take her on!!
Respect for Mr. Zambia is ours. The first two postings i think use something else to reason. Definitely not their brains.
What sort of PhD are you Kambwili to make such a demand?
SINKAMBA WISDOM – NO NEED TO APOLOGISE. What used to be a peaceful its no longer the case to day. that is history. Kambwili must be ashamed. To day the world has changed. You Kambwili must know and understand that what violence pf thugs and pf violent cadres are doing, the police brutality, denial of oppositions permits for rallies, attempt to drop down the chopper carrying the incoming presidents – HH & GBM, the take over of Ndola airport by pf thugs, the killings of UPND cadres, the closer of Post newspapers, etc, the list is end less. all these happenings are being posted on the media houses uncensored. So the world is watching all the pf evils . So you cannot claim Zambia is a peaceful country. You e already changed the picture its all now history. Let me take this opportunity also…
@Sinkamba Wisdom – you do realise the incident happened in 1999, not 2016.
You people, some of us live with white people here. And when they read something like that they compare Zed to places like Iraque. Kambwili is right there is just too much misinformation about Africa especially in Europe. If nobody reacts big time then the whites here will think Zed is a war torn country. Do you think Zambia is war torn ? If you do then try to visit Libya, Iraque and you will appreciate that you have your country that is indeed peaceful. Nobody should go telling others that our is war torn. We have never fought a war at all, so where does she get the war torn thing from? Her own imagination to paint whatever picture she wanted of Zambia ?. And some brainless people here are busy supporting the defamation of their own country. Grow up and defend your country from…
In her report there’s a lot of inconsistencies and lies e.g monsoon.We don’t have such climates and also I have never known Zambian to be a war torn country.Young woman you have upset us as country men.We deserve unequivocal apology.Hon.Kambwili please make sure this case is followed up.And thank you for raising this issue,Proud of you.
Zambia is the THIRD HUNGRIEST NATION IN THE WORLD. This has happened amidst peace, under PF government!! The 1999 picture painted by Ms Linton in her book is actually positive. If she was to come today in 2016, the picture may actually be more gruesome!! The HIV/AIDS infected girl called Zimba is probably dead from hunger, the village burnt to ashes by PF militia because the village headman supports UPND, the lodge where she once has stayed closed because the unfavourable economic climate inflicted by the PF has made businesses to fold. Zambia under PF is a failed State. If Kambwili had any Iota of shame in him, he would have apologized to Ms Linton for ravaging this once good country with his PF bandits and militias
stop laying and speak the truth.
@ muzo muso
Please, tell us your versions of the 1999 and 2016 “truth”.
But, please do not mention non-existing “achievements”!!!
Nonsense Mwane,I grow up in Zambia and was in Zambia in 1999.Can you tell me if the country had ever experienced monsoons and any kind of war?
Do you know from where monsoons originate and their influence on Zambian climate?
from the time I was born, I have only known of one Zambia a peaceful country with warm hearted people regardless of so many tribes. We as Zambians live in one accord. thus I find it strange barbaric for such an article to be written about our Zambia. for sure an apology must be demanded by all well meaning Zambians.
Definitely you did not read the book.
The many years I have spent in mineral exploration thus in Zambia, DR Congo and Tanzania I have met several volunteers their life style is drugs, prostitution and too much alcoholic abuse. I spent a lot of years in North western Zambia thus Solwezi, Mwinilunga Mufumbwe, Kasempa, Kabompo, and Zambezi these areas were very peaceful. Congo has seen wars but none of the ears near Zambia districts had experienced it. I entered Congo in 1998 that was the time Senior Kabila had taken over the country but his soldiers were just matching through the villages with no single bullet used because the government soldiers surrendered. The fight was in the Eastern Congo the boarder with Rwanda and Uganda.
“…their life style is drugs, prostitution and too much alcoholic abuse…”
Sounds familiar, are you talking about PF campaign?
Illegal Chief Govt Spokesman Buffoon Kambwili…why not let officals in the Ministry of Tourism respond to this…not this empty tin!!
@Jay Jay, the Ministry of Tourism has no clue! Just compare their website of Musi O Tunya to that of neighboring Zimbabwe. Awe nisoni! Still, it does not require the calibre of the honorable dokota to demand an apology. Whoever she is, she has got the publicity she so sought. Suckered again, boom!
BREAKING NEWS
Honourable Request Muntanga is dead.
Why not advise your Chakolwa Kaloba Wrungu about the violence he has introduced to the Zambian politics. TOGETHER WE SAY NO TO DUNUNA REVERSE ZAMBIA HAS TO MOVE FORWARD.
BREAKING NEWS
Honourable Request Muntanga is dead. He died in Lusaka where he had come for a review.
More shocks await the Under 5 party when they get the biggest boot of their lives on 11 August 2016. Nawakwi, an experienced politician has already warned that HH will cry and very hard.
PF and ECL have delivered serious development this country has been yearning for and its wishful thinking of worst kind to ever dream and think you can unseat a government like this, NEVER!
Until 2021, its ECL and PF, SONTAPO IWE, IF NOT, SELA TUBOMBEKO!!!!
TO BE AT WAR YOU DONT NEED TO USE GUNS. YES OUR COUNTRY IS AT WAR IN THE PF IS RULLING US BY -SUBJECTING US THE INFORMATION WE DO NOT WANT TO HEAR-BY CLOSING OUR ONLY INDEPENDENT MEDIA THE POST-BY ALLOWING XENOPHOBIA TO TAKE PLACE, PEOPLE BEING KILLED-BY ALLOWING POLITICAL KILLINGS AND VILOENCE-BY SUBJECTING THE WHOLE LOT OF OP,POLICE AND THE UNPROFESSIONAL ZRA(SHAME ON YOU)TO BE PURSUING MR M’MEMBE AT THE EXPENSE OF FIGHTING POVERTY-BY ENSURING THE ELECTIONS ARE RIGGED- BY HAVING GHOST VOTERS FROM TANZANIA AND MALAWI AND THE LIST IS ENDLESS. SO ALL THESE ACTS ARE ACT OF WAR. WHAT ELSE. THIS IS THE WAR THE YOUNG LADY MEANT BA KAMBWILI FAKE PHD HOLDER. CONCENTRATE ON CORRECTING THE WRONGS IN THE COUNTRY. APOLOGY MY FOOT. SHE WILL NEVER DO THAT.
I have meant people like her looking for money from ignorant rich people. Most of the American wealthy genuinely want to support a disadvantaged child but there money ends up with American dinasours. Mark my words. Talk to you later.
She wrote what she saw and learned about them, who is Kambwili and other stupid Zambians to think for her? She has the right to freedom of expressions which unlike Kambwili, Mumb Phiri and Frank Bwalya use as hate speech the Tongas. Has Kambwili or Chama apologized to people of Southern Province. Go to hell chknkubiti
Foolish and unpatriotic UPND cadres always supporting wrongly even when some racist scotish is insulting you and your intelligence. Where are your morals imwe bantu? What type of genes are in your blood stream which can not distinguish between good and bad things. Are you sure my beautiful country zambia the beacon of peace in Africa is ravaged by war and HIV? How can the father to this moraly decayed girl blame the publisher of the fake book of having changed the contents but went ahead to publish it. Guy Scot must apologise on her behalf since his roots are from Scotland where this ***** girl stays.
Ati “…..we will be engaging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get an apologise.”
Ba Fong-kong Dokota, chibunu:- Is it an apology or an apologise? kikiki
NO MATTER HOW MUCH DIFFER IN AMERICA ONCE A FOREIGNER NEGATIVELY TOUCHES AMERICA/N THEY TEAM UP RAISE AGAINST YOU. THANK YOU FOR ZAMBIANS WHO ARE SERVING FOREIGNERS OUT ANGER, DISAPPOINTMENTS, HATRED.
The Engineer ulekwata amano where is your patriotism?its people like mwebamwanga amakasa yabasunkung.u think every a white man does is nice isuka umutwe weshilu we
If you go to New York City and get robbed and experience the crowds that have no time to say ‘hi’ like we do to strangers, how would you write about it? Leave the young lady alone. She wrote what she experienced. Again, I would like to read her book, read about the area, and perhaps do some independent investigation about the sequence of events. I think that should be the approach. Not this Daily Mail approach of trying to clean up shi.te with bare hands…
The lady is foolish….when did Zambia go to war ? King cobra Kambwili we fully support govt s stance on this useless girl.
I think what she described in the book is what obtains today, PF cadres massacring other zambians
Ichikunkubiti chi Kambwili…comment about the killing today of innocent Zambians by PF police and not this little girl who foresaw 15 years ago that Zambia would be war torn as is happening today
Ba Kambwili, aren’t you ashamed to even get involved? You a man who has no shame in parading a faked PhD awarded by a non-existent institution? This young lady gave an account of what she believed to be in Zambia. Raising your voice and angrily requesting a retraction will get you nowhere. Why don’t you write a rebuttal of her experiences? Write an article or book interviewing all the people she mentions in the book, visit all the places and then demonstrate how her book was based on lies. Otherwise what is in the book is what she saw and how she interpreted it. That’s her truth. Tell your truth and stop embarrassing us with your ignorance.
iam suprised a story of 1999 to raise so much storm and coments pf has done so much already ni sonta fye post must pay if u are sympathetic help pay them u will read yo paper if messi can be found guilty and charged for tax evation
This young woman needs to be brought back so we ask Upnd 1mbeciles to rayp her until she apologise.
Ms Linton has just been vindicated when an innocent girl was killed with live ammunition by PF thugs dressed in ZRP uniform and issued with ZRP guns. Zambia is quickly turning into a failed state where state sponsored violence and murder is now the order of the day. Armed PF thugs and miltias are now disturbing Zambia’s peace.
Most of you UPND bloggers are morons who dont use your brains properly.Somene writes hogwash about your country and you are busy praising her just because you want to rule?Thats why will never rule this country because you think like little kids bafika.la.