MISA Zambia has said that it has received with disappointment the violent attack on journalists by unruly UPND cadres at the party’s press briefing at the secretariat.
In a statemenent released to the media, MISA strongly condemned the attack on the journalists, among them one Silumesi Malumo of Radio Phoenix and Priscilla Banda of Millennium radio.
It is alleged that UPND cadres beat a phoenix reporter badly whom they originally suspected to be a ZNBC journalist. The mob descended on him and beat him up till some people begun to scream on his behalf that he was one of their own.
“It is unfortunate that the cadres descended on the journalists who were there to merely do their job of gathering information in the public’s interest. The attack is an affront to the freedom of the press and should be condemned by all well-meaning Zambians, ” read the statement.
Below is the full statement
Wednesday, March 29, 2017.
Immediate Release
MISA Condemns UPND attack on journalists, calls for unity among journalists We have received with disappointment the violent attack on journalists by unruly UPND cadres at the party’s press briefing at the secretariat.
As an institution that stands for freedom of expression and media freedom, we strongly condemn the attack on the journalists, among them one Silumesi Malumo of Radio Phoenix and Priscilla Banda of Millennium radio.
It is unfortunate that the cadres descended on the journalists who were there to merely do their job of gathering information in the public’s interest. The attack is an affront to the freedom of the press and should be condemned by all well-meaning Zambians.
It is our hope that the UPND leadership will get to the bottom of the matter and discipline the cadres involved as paying a blind eye to the attack will encourage such acts at other similar forums, thereby making it unsafe for journalists to cover the party’s activities for fear of their personal safety. The UPND must take immediate action as a show of its commitment to the ideals of freedom of expression and the express which are critical to the functioning of democracy.
MISA stands in solidarity with the journalists that were attacked and calls on them not to relent in their duty of information dissemination in respect of the public interest. We will engage with the affected journalists and the UPND leadership to chart a way forward and ensure the matter comes to its logical conclusion and the perpetrators brought to book.
We wish to call on all media practitioners to unite beyond all differences as the media fraternity is currently facing various infringements evidenced by political violence, against journalists, legal and other persecution of media houses as well as suppression of dissenting views.
Journalists must stand together for the cause of media freedom despite coming from different media houses in a landscape of media polarisation. As we have always stated, today it may be one journalist or media house but there is no telling who will be attacked next, hence the need to stand together.
Hellen Mwale
Chairperson-MISA Zambia Chapter
Why not de register UPND got a year?
They have outlived their usefulness for many political aficionados
Thanks
BB2014,16
It is a pity there was a mistake. The cadres should be congratulated if it was an enemy journo. No respite for the enemy.
This is the problem we have in Zambia politicians cannot control their cadres!
One wonders who really rules there is so much indescipline in the country.
We have too many politicians and very few leaders if any!
Fi ma blood thirsty sat.anic United Dunderhead animals. Violent for nothing these clowns just like their fake commentators just read their comments from such cretins as bucketbrainshungu where they are encouraging such violent acts! They will be the first ones to run away with their tails between their legs God forbid we have a real conflict. You chaps have been living like eggs you have no idea what it means to be in a conflict, such situations must be avoided at all costs.
WHO ARE UPNDs PFs BY THE WAY?
mind the way you talk, its about this nation not the party no, therefor no beatings are around in this nation you shod not care about who is beating who or who is beaten by who. why do you have to care about a party is a part you good leaving, or you are brain,less. lats take proper action against these everyday beating you tonga bull.
Its people like Hellen Mwale who are bringing this misfortune on journalism. Just see how she’s conveniently “hidden” the political & legal persecution of media houses in her statement. Where was she when the Post was being killed, when the Mast was being harassed?
The best way, Hellen, you can unite is to fairly serve the community. For as long as you are partisan, some citizens will treat you as opposition & as long as you tolerate PF violence you will find citizens who will be violent against you..
HH likes the law to work for him, to give him his ‘rights’ and help him achieve his agenda.
So HH recognises the law and wants to follow it when it brings him benefit.
But HH breaks the same law with impunity, and does not recognise it as law when it calls for his responsibility.
HH knows that failure to recognise legally instituted government and a sitting president is a crime with regard to Zambian law, but he breaks that law.
HH knows that disrespect for judges and belittling of the same is contemptuous, but he insults the ConCourt judges, and any judge who rules against his ‘sovereign’ desire.
HH insults such judges, calling them all manner of names such as thugs, thieves, corrupt, Lungu puppets, criminals, etc.
Contd..
HH calls on citizens to rise and fight government, telling them to shed blood for their ‘rights’, and the said ‘rights’ means HH becoming president.
This is the person who aspires to lead this country, who believes law is law when it favours him and it is no law if it called for his responsibility oor favours other citizens.
Other than prepare a country that would respect the rule of law, which he would want to see if he became president (if that ever happened) he is busy creating a culture of disobedience and anarchy.
I have said time and again here that HH and the UPND do things in utter reverse.
For example, the use of preliminaries as delay tactic, but against themselves – who can understand that? not even themselves.
Any comment from LAZ?
Did MISA ever condemn Panga Family for their violent cadres that killed several people?
Are you in Zambia? MISA unlike LAZ has shown impartiality in condemning wrongs in media. Or does it mean it is okay for UPND to be hostile to the media since PF does the same. If this is the reasoning then there will be no difference between the two parties and Zambians should be looking for an alternative party eslewhere.
@amagenge great.. UPND cadres are use.less look at ENKA very use.less
WHO ARE UPNDs PFs BY THE WAY?
mind the way you talk, its about this nation not the party no, therefor no beatings are around in this nation you shod not care about who is beating who or who is beaten by who. why do you have to care about a party is a part you good leaving, or you are brain,less. lats take proper action against these everyday beating you tonga bull.
UPND don’t beat any Journalist, let any one cover you whether ZNBC or what ever, You have nothing to loose by being covered. Fighting just shows that you also don’t think properly.
Why? No respite for the enemy.
We all remember the bweengwa lies of kidnapped jernolists.
When the army surrounded UPND at chinama we saw pictures.
When you don’t see ant pictures it is a lie.
Everybody had at least a phone these
I am waiting for a comment from HH now that the reasons for Zambia police not allowing UPND to hold a rally have been confirmed
Misa has been bought by pf kikiki Zambia yasila. All these years of pf killing innocent people and harrasing post journalists you have been quiet. Bakudyesa brown envelope ati nyo nyo
Hallelujah!! Everything that goes against UPND means PF has bribed someone or Lungu has done something. When MISA was behind Hazaluza Hagain, they represented free media now they have joined PF thugs. You are pathetic, NEZ!!! You people are shame to Zambia’s democracy, no wonder PF is dominating parliament and I really doubt you will recover in time to challenge them in 2021. By the time youe mps recover from the punishment of their misdeeds, your bantustans will be in bad shape and I see PF going beyond 2021-ALL YOUR STU.P.I.DITY!!!!
WHO ARE UPNDs PFs BY THE WAY?
mind the way you talk, its about this nation not the party no, therefor no beatings are around in this nation you shod not care about who is beating who or who is beaten by who. why do you have to care about a party is a part you good leaving, or you are brain,less. lats take proper action against these everyday beating you tonga bull.
You will just develop a heart attack. UPND is going no where NEZ. Your president was beaten clean, UPND did not get the national mandate it asked for. It is done and dusted, finito!!!! You can insult, curse, even live in denial that there is no President in Zambia, when you know there is, will not help you. The best is for you to advise HH to rethink and restrategise on how to put UPND back on the tracks. being confrontation with Lungu will not not help. You fighting the wrong problem. HH’s lose con only be solved by taking a serious look inside UPND because there lays the remedy for recovery. Insulting and fighting the government now will not help, but bring more confusion with UPND. Very soon disillusionment and fatigue will creep in starting with the leaders and you begin to hear…
As an independent,there is conduct of UPND which i find similar to PF.The attacks on journalists,intolerance of alternative voices,dictatorial tendencies by leaders, tolerance of street vending by HH, violence in general.I wonder if in power,how will they be? They are charge of Southern Province why not do as DA has done in cape town by running the province an examplary fashion economically and otherwise.Honestly,both PF and UPND are do not give an objective voter much choice.UPND need to rebrand and differentiate itself if it hope to win hearts and minds of Zambians.
Because this involves UPND, So it will now be like an old broken record repeating the same line over and over for some time to come as all organizations and some immoral churches will join in the condemnation of the same.
Yet for the great felons committed by PF they pay a blind eye.
On behalf of Hichilema and indeed the upnd I condemn the behaviour of our upnd cadres they are a shame and making our once vibrant party unpopular.
Major problem is Zambia is this group of people called cadres. Whether PF or UPND, I simply can’t stand these creatures. I wish we could have a leader who can do away with this breed of creatures but unfortunately both PF and UPND leadership seems to enjoy their company. The other day it was the PF youth leader in Lusaka who publicly advocated for violence if UPND went ahead with a rally and nobody from PF leadership saw anything wrong with that. What a pity!
Unfortunately, James Dean, caderism in our society is here to stay!! You see in the compounds, who a lot of people in high offices neglect, these cadres fill the gap left as representatives of the common person. The cadres identify with the needs of the compound dwellers and take charge and satisfy that need!! When a trader in Matero is looking for a place to sell their wares, the people sitting in council and ministry offices simply tell them “we shall get back to you!” while the cadre will use political influence and forcefully create that trading place for example. Now, these people represent the majority of voters, hence the politician will support the cadre who will offer him votes not you the technocrat who will only offer corporate rhetoric and you are badly outnumbered at the…
…ballot! The emphasis should now be on how to coexist with these cadres not flush them out. When political matters arise, who goes to stand in the sun and support the political cause? the cadres!! You and me would rather sit behind our comfortable wall fences and see it happen on tv and the internet!!! If a need arises in our communities, do we go to council halls to discuss these issues? we would rather hear about it on our radios in our BMWs while the window is closed and driving to work or on our laptops hooked to the company wifi!!! HENCE CADRE ARE HERE TO STAY!!!
As a rule of thumb if you don’t see any photos or video it is a lie.
Everyone has a camera phone. What kind of journalists that don’t move with any cameras ? Like a car machanic with no tools.
Id1otic thinking indeed! And did you expect the same victim to be taking footage in the midst of your rowdy cadres? Uli chipuba sana anso!
Iwe komboni Sata nyoko.
Don’t you read that it was a group of journalists allegedly attacked? Who was holding the hands of the rest of them ??
Faken kabwlala.
PF lies are like George Bush lies about sadamas nuclear weapons. Now no one believes the CIA.
Do you remember the lie about GBM training UPND commandos with golf clubs and boxing gloves to take on and attack the zambian defence forces ??
The truth is if they don’t show any photos , they are lying.
HAZALUZA HAGAIN!!! You people are PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!! Zambians in the 7 provinces that voted for PF and ECL are seeing right through your hypocricy and your votes will reduce drastically in these provinces!!!!!! ITS DUNUNA AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hehehe Zambian citizen..
Clam down. We are only saying if you don’t see any form of photos or video then most likely it is a lie.
We are tired of fake news from PF
….and when they are denied a police permit to hold a public rally, they cry like babies….!!!!
Journalists with no cameras ? This is like a group who claim to be car mechanics coming to fix your car at your house with no tools.
Ok suppose those jounalists forgot their cameras and phons , Almost every member of public these days has a camera phone.
Shuwa, even members of the public forgot their phones that day. ??
Misa have update not condemned the closure of the Post newspapers despite the cry of poor Zambians who depended on it to air their grievances on the wrongs of the evil PF government.
As a lesson to UPND , What ever you do, always have at least 3 or 4 of your people with camera phones taking videos from different angles.
Better still invest in a few cheap video recorders for your people.
PF and lungu are now looking like dictatores and are trying to spread lies to to justify their brutality.
You have been warned.
Leaders should learn to invite the press….and issue cards so that everyone knows they are invited……
I am not UPND but it is just common sense that UPND is just being reciprocative in the way it is treated. The Party cant do anything in Zambia, courts are against them, parliamentary speaker is against them, public media is against them(Have you ever seen UPND being given a platform on Sunday Interview), they cant enjoy their democratic rights to hold rallies. They are hated and labelled tribal for no apparent reason. Manje what do you want them to do? Ma blacks chabe
Why can’t the same MISA tell one edger lungu that people are merely exercising their democratic right by holding a press conference.
nonsense..they only apologised..where were you cadre?
UPND has never been violent however this is not to say violence has not crept in. It began under what some loud person called the ‘mapatizya formula’ those of us who remember what Mazoka stood for condemned those actions but we were branded anti-party and cowards. In the tourist capital our member who has again made headlines for the wrong reason ended up in the cells. What has happened going forward is simple the violence from PF/MMD in the form of Adolf’s vice president, Fat Albert and the wannabe Vice Pastor Pole Pole has engulfed us. What we experience today is a people who are not yet in power but are giving you a sight of what they would do if they ruled! 2021 zamfo
Ati until pipo started screaming that is one of their own! What does that mean? is it because he comes from the 3.5 provinces that voted for UPND? If he came from the 6.5 provinces that voted for PF then he was going to be lynched to death, these UPND morons never cease to amaze me.
i condemn the beating of journalist whether from PF controlled media or private. If it is true then UPND top leadership should apologise and disciple the cadres. Dont do what the PF does.
HH likes the law to work for him, to give him his ‘rights’ and help him achieve his agenda.
So HH recognises the law and wants to follow it when it brings him benefit.
But HH breaks the same law with impunity, and does not recognise it as law when it calls for his responsibility.
HH knows that failure to recognise legally instituted government and a sitting president is a crime with regard to Zambian law, but he breaks that law.
HH knows that disrespect for judges and belittling of the same is contemptuous, but he insults the ConCourt judges, and any judge who rules against his ‘sovereign’ desire.
HH insults such judges, calling them all manner of names such as thugs, thieves, corrupt, Lungu puppets, criminals, etc.
Contd..
HH calls on citizens to rise and fight government, telling them to shed blood for their ‘rights’, and the said ‘rights’ means HH becoming president.
This is the person who aspires to lead this country, who believes law is law when it favours him and it is no law if it called for his responsibility oor favours other citizens.
Other than prepare a country that would respect the rule of law, which he would want to see if he became president (if that ever happened) he is busy creating a culture of disobedience and anarchy.
I have said time and again here that HH and the UPND do things in utter reverse.
For example, the use of preliminaries as delay tactic, but against themselves – who can understand that? not even themselves.
when it comes to political violence, there is no single party among the top three (MMD, PF, & UPND) who can claim to be clean. if anything, PF is top on the list. How was the behavior of Bowman Lusambo under MMD with William Banda? Pangas in politics were introduced by one leader & the launch was in Chawama. Most you know who this person was. condemning violence isn’t enough, for as long as the likes of Max are still roaming the streets freely & are handsomely rewarded, then violence is a good thing in the eyes of carders. You all heard what Kennedy Kamba said the other day besides what Davies Mwila said in Kabwe. For as long as their bosses see nothing wrong in that, the song will continue. These politicians are enjoying the whole episode of violence. This nonsense had disappeared under…
Mwanawasa coz him as president did not tolerate it.
Political violence is political violence whether MMD, PF, UPND, FDD and so on…IT IS WRONG AND SHOULD BE CONDEMNED!! To say Mwanawasa didn’t tolerate it is also a lie because violence NEVER stopped under Mwanawasa!! From FTJ these cadres through Mwanawasa to Sata have taken over markets and intercity, so when did it disappear under Mwanawasa??? As i have indicated above, cadreism in Zambia is now part of our national DNA and it won’t go away as long as you and me, not just politicians, leave gaps in our community management.
Zambian citizen
How can you control caders when you have high ranking PF officials publicly calling on PF caders to steal plots and take over public places ??
You need leaders of integrity. Not what we have now.
and Cornelious Mweetwa who sliced a juicy piece of land in Choma meant for a market for himself, you call that integrity?? Or Hazalua Hagain himself who fenced off land that was used by villagers in Namwala??? IS THAT INTEGRITY? This problem of cadres allocating plots is not a PF problem alone but a problem that started during MMD and is a national problem which requires everyone’s input to control it, not just party officials or politicians alone. CK Marble on Mumbwa Road fought this ugly vice and got his land back, why can’t everyone unite and fight it regardless of which party or tribe you belong to???
Now this opens my mind. It is just that they applied to hold a public rally and now they are being scandalized. Any way So chabe.
Coming to MISA, you guys are a big let down & i feel you are not serving any purpose. Look at how the media is being molested & how biased they are in their coverage. In as much as i do not condorne violence, biased coverage is what is causing your members (journalists) to be beaten. what happened to objective coverage of news? if you see an article about his excellency ECL in the Mast for examples, chances are that its something negative they are covering him on. The same is with public media & Daily Nation. If you see an article on HH or GBM, just know that its something negative. Is this the right way of doing things? would you welcome such a journalist at you gathering? You guys have a lot to do if people are gonna treat you with some respect
What kind of journalists don’t move with any cameras ?
If they don’t show you any footage , it is a lie.
If it comes from the daily nation , it is a lie.
Look, let us not pretend here.
We all know the HH presidency is a failed project.
Don’t think that losing six times gives him enough experience to win. No, no, no!
Thinking like that would imply that wining six times would give someone enough experience to lose.
Let us not always think in ‘Dununa Reverse’ manner.
Either UPND is happy with continued losing or they can change leadership.
Unless UPND wishes to hearing stories every five years, of saying ‘my win has been stolen in Lusaka. Maureen Mwanawasa found my 14,000 votes in a been’.
Keeping HH at the helm may turn UPND into a party that may phase out and be remembered only as a party that came close, but now extinct.
Why are worried about HH leading UPND ? Could it be to do with the fact lungu used all GRZ to illegally campaign for him, bankrupting the treasury in the process inspite of spending 10 billion US on development ??
And lungu still is ahead by only 100,000 votes which are disputed.
@ 31.1 Spaka like lilo,
You defend his being at the helm of UPND with noticeably great passion.
Now, if his losses are making you happy, I have no problem with that.
Whatever makes you have I am okay with it, as long as you are happy.
It’s just that I wanted to think on behalf of his contenders, they must be feeling bored standing against the same loser.
It is the same as a heavyweight boxing champion who has beaten his opponent twice or thrice in a row, he will get frustrated as he would like to fight a challenger not an obvious loser.
This I what I am saying, that if they get frustrated and complain that they need another person to fight with it is not because they fear but because they are bored of getting an obvious win, due to a weak opponent.
Very interesting to read headlines such as:
“HH says Zambia’s democracy is heavily under threat as Police block UPND News Conference”
Meanwhile he goes to his Secretariat and his cadres begin to beat up journalists.
So, who is killing democracy – the police whore are making efforts to endure law and order or HH whose cadres are beating up innocent citizens, the journalists?
I think this is why the international community ignores this man.
First of all, HH fails to understand that he is insulting the very international community he wishes to get support from.
When you tell the international community that you have won the election which they themselves monitored and saw that you lost, you are insulting their intellect.
I have always observed reverse thinking when it…
Like the story about Interpol looking for membe which you were jumping up and down for ??
Fake news.
Show us photographic evidence of the beatings
When it becomes possible to big up or defend a sitting Goverment with only lies to cover more lies and violence then you know you are a sinking boat.
Look, for M’membe, his behaviour is know by everyone. Are you the only Jew?
M’membe has been committing financial terrorism against Zambian financial institutions for a long time, especially government institutions, records are there for all who have eyes to see.
M’membe has been a financial jihadist for a long time and what would be wrong if the financial jihadist was brought account.
Zambian journalists will continue to be humiliated in Zambia because they are used as tools and later rewarded or discarded. In Zambia most journalists have been rewarded for peddling lies, writing fake news and slandering individuals for political gain. In Mexico they are hunted and killed, in Russia they disappear and in Zambia they are urinated in their mouths. Journalists in Zambia will always be meted with a reward or humiliated.
Agony is, being a cadre for life! And fighting for very comfortable politicians!
UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS LIFE, NEVER WRITE OFF ANYONE, ESPECIALLY HERE IN ZAMBIA. THE GUY WHO INVENTED A BULB THAT WE USE FOR LIGHTING OUR HOMES TODAY FAILED TO DO SO FOR 99 TIMES
Science and politics are 2 different fields. The light bulb inventor didn’t wait 5 years to try his invention each time he changed it. If Hazaluza Hagain tries 99 times…well even my great grand children won’t even vote for his skeleton…kikikikikiki…..
There is a new but old fashioned wave of political expedience taking place in Zambia under the guise of opposition political party the so called UPND. What is so “Human rights about this man HH that his hooligans attack the journalists? He should do introspection. And when the law enforcement workers do their job of bringing sanity and preventing destruction of property then this man (HH) who does not even know what democracy is stands on top the roof to shout as though someone has stolen his cattle. The greater majority of Zambians have seen through these guys especially their leader (HH) who has lost elections at least five times. He pretends that he is fighting for the poor that is an iniquitous lie, he (HH) he is fighting for his pocket period. He (HH) has nothing to lose because he…
He (HH) has nothing to lose because he has already lost, not only the election but the money that he borrowed to undertake his campaigns during the last general elections of 2016. So what he is doing is nothing new but the habits of a bad looser that it is it. Very soon and very soon he will stand alone to explain his actions. We know that his political relevance is derived from his unruly behaviour of the people he is using to attack innocent journalists. What democracy did this herd man fight for? and for who? He was part to a system that sold the mines for a song and pocketed commissions. Many of our people lost jobs and today he sits to say that he is fighting for the human rights and democracy of the people, my word.
@ Mwansa it is not like that, it is because once they are given a platform on Sunday Interview the topic will be PF this PF that or Judges that Judges this or Courts that. people are fed-up hearing same stories, let them change the course of addressing us, every body is ready to hear from them.
Cadres are unemployed youths who have little to do, day or night. They will attend any event at anytime. Most of them are not schooled. They can be angry at anything and for no good reason. Their misfortune may not be of their own making. Their behaviour could be a form of protest for what the Establishment and Society have not done for them. Our politicians can not tame these cadres. The cadres give them good votes and are tools for party mobilisations. The bottom line as panacea to cadre violence is to resuscitate our dying economy which will in turn give these youths jobs and improve their social status. Much can be said, but our politicians have been a big let down in many areas.