Musician and activist Fumba Chama, also known as Pilato left Zambia on 5 January 2018 after receiving threats over his new song Koswe Mumpoto which has been interpreted as criticising President Edgar Lungu and the PF Ministers.
In the song, Pilato sings that the ruling elite are behaving like rats that steal food and eat, including things that they do not need.
Pilato decided to leave the country after receiving a video message in December recorded by cadres of the ruling PF who threatened to beat him for releasing the song, which has been a huge hit since it came out in December.
The PF Chairperson for Central Province had ordered Pilato to stop singing the song on 11 December.
Radio and TV stations have also been ordered to stop playing it by government.
Police also denied Pilato permits to perform at several planned concerts in December.
In places where he was allowed to sing, police imposed conditions, including orders not to play any of his controversial songs.
In another illustration of the increasingly oppressive atmosphere in Zambia, the Magistrates’ Court in Mongu sentenced a medical doctor, Kwalela Kafunya, to seven years in prison under oppressive colonial-era legislation for creating a fake Facebook account lampooning President Lungu.
Kwalela Kafunya was accused of posting disturbing remarks and insults, and digitally altering President Lungu’s image.
And Amnesty International says the Zambian host bent must immediately take steps to guarantee right to freedom of expression for artists.
“The brazen determination by some in Zambia to silence dissenting views can only spell doom for the culture of robust engagement that the country has been known for,” said Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa.
“The right to freedom of expression must be allowed to thrive.”
“It is worrying that Zambian authorities are now also going after people who are using social media networks such as Facebook to express themselves,” said Muleya Mwananyanda.
“This harassment and crackdown on dissent must stop immediately.”
Source: Amnesty International – Southern Africa
The man is a moron
He will get his comeuppance duly.
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Mushota, Do yourself a big favor, Go have another abortion please. You have become irrelevant on social media.
Freedom of speech does not mean that people have no right to answer you the way they want after you say something they find objectionable. Nor does it mean someone can’t punch you in the face if you insult them!
All it means is that Govt can not use it power and authority to come after you. And what I see here is suspected cadres going after Pilato voicing their displeasure with his song, FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION which they too have. Therefore, both sides need to be protected.
Threats to Pilato will not stop him from singing, I guess he will now produce more critical songs.
Song are now released online and not on cassettes, you dont need to be in Zambia to have your song listened to.
The moron is Mushota, oh it’s you actually. The song, loser mumpoto, is a good depiction of what Lungu and his goons are doing.
Pilato is so lucky, in US they will grant him permanent residence as asylum seeker. His case is clear cut, he can choose any country, except South Africa or Zimbabwe.
The man is a moron? Come on stop talking out of the other end. Zambia needs such people to stop the rot that is currently going on. You know what I would rate Pilato Fumba higher than Jonathan by far and Kambwili by a reasonable amount. Pilato and Miti lady are the only two who were brave enough to demonstrate about the looting the is going on, then Kalaba and Mulusa. And you call him a moron? Are you for real? Go away Mushota!
Pilato my messeng to you is that you’re not alone. Most of us are out here because of the same things you have taken on board and fighting. We’re sorry we were not brave enough like you to stay in and fight. Your voice is of the many. Who knows? Very soon you might be back in State House to urge us to come back, and we will Mr President. Jonathan is of the past you’re the future
Mushota be quick with your brain and not with your fingers. You know what you’re an erratic imbecile with an IQ less than can be imagined
Go away,
@Mushota you are getting it thick and fast! I don’t know whether to keep quiet or make the most of it! Fortunately I see you have “dropped” your PhD credentials! I will keep away! #BRING BACK KOSWE
waba kunda banyoko
so the chap is a coward mmmmm
Seven years for a fake FB page? That is abuse of law enforcement. Its like asking Kwalela to re-do his medical training.
Remember the late Daddy Zemus (MHSRIP), was among Zambia’s first post 90s popular singers. I think must have been brother or close relative to Kwalela …
Mushota the ka id!ot
Freedom of speech does not mean insulting and slandering other people.
Useless, open your mind. Stop thinking like a preschooler.
Whom did he insult? I haven’t heard the song yet
Since you’re on internet you might have a bit of Medula oblangata and can Google what PEOTRY is.There is a thin line between poetry and insults. But you’re not sensible enough to differentiate between the two. Stupe.
Just imagine if Lazy Lungu was President during the Mwanawasa era with Sata as opposition leader dropping incendiary bombs on him and The Post Newspaper firing in the shots from the flanks ….this lazy thing wouldn’t survive one day!!
Insulting is an acceptable norm in any society, it is used to pump sense in the person being insulted instead of crucifying him/her.
F.oolish article.
Is the Commonwealth Secretary General coming back to reconcile People again?
Yoweri Museveni country version 2.0…….loading.
The country is run by cadres because the current leadership is lazy, corrupt and weak …that why you using army to clean streets
It’s Mugabe replaced by mentee.
Let us ban s..thole CNN in Zambia.
DON’T DARE TAKE YOUR FILTHY CORRUPTION TO THE SHORES USA. CNN WITH FISH YOU OUT LIKE RATS.
If Lazy Lungu was humble as the Bum portrays himself…he would have simply laughed it off but he is quiet. Does he know how many comedians make fun of Trump.
Last month a doctor was arrested for defaming this moron in State House….a true Koswe he is.
@ JAY JAY
DON’T YOU HAVE SOMETHING BETTER TO DO IN YOUR MISERABLE BITTER LIFE THAN INSULT OUR PRESIDENT???
HE WILL BE OUR PRESIDENT BEYOND 2020 AND YOU WILL STILL BE MISERABLE JAY JAY STILL GNASHING YOUR TEETH
@7.1 that corrupt dummy at state house is too cursed to make it beyond 2020.
These dumb bells over use this word “bitter”…Yes I am angry that we have useless corrupt crooks in govt and an utterly lazy dingbat for a President!!
“You are guaranteed freedom of speech, but you are never guaranteed freedom after speech.” If the laws of Zambia say it‘s a crime to insult a sitting president, then it is a crime to insult the president no matter how you see him. Therefore, for the misused freedom of speech, repacations are the owner’s to bear.
Satire is never an insult. All you do is misinterpret any person’s speech to fit your moron’s agenda, and call it insult.
Respect is earned and never forced!
This has nothing to do with the law you think that singer is daft..he covered himself and can not be arrested its silly cadres who are a threat to his life.
So to you Nonobo calling your father koswe is satire. You went to a bad school koswe iwe. Oh yes!.. that’s satire, forgive my memory.
S. H. A. M. E to Zambian Democracy.
Shame on you for believing any rubbish thrown at you…
Shame on you for you stand for and support suppression of freedom of speech.
I don’t think any normal thinking person would consider intimidation by PF cadres as “believing any rubbish thrown”.
Someone`s life is being threatened, it’s not “believing any rubbish thrown”.
If you truly believe in what you stand for, why flee?
Because a mattress is heavy.
Because Zambians are docile and cowards they will enjoy your music but wont jack when you are arrested
* …do jack..
So its only freedom of expression when UPND cadres insult PF leadership?
HH has taken Chilufya Tayali to court for just calling him a Satanist!!!at a court sitting in Livingstone,Tongas came out in numbers in support of their god HH!
Look,freedom of expression does not mean insulting our leaders!!Pilato must be caged because he is not a musician but a hired UPND cadre who is paid by HH&GBM to insult PF leadership.so yes,Pilato should be taught a big lesson for insulting elected leaders.Losers such as HH and Kambwili can be called names because they are not in state house and not ECL because he was elected by majority Zambians to rule this peaceful nation.Hence, we must all respect president Edgar Lungu!!
ZAMBIA HAS BECOME TOO SMALL FOR DULL PILATO NOW-DANCE PELETE BADAALA!!
Your humble leader is a true koswe mumpoto.
Eventually you start missing things to use only to discover bakoswe balisenda. Cholera, construction stoppages, short life span roads, vices including lawlessness, unnecessary deaths, high cost of living are all symptoms of bakoswe’s presence in the house!
Then also ask lungu to take those calling him a corrupt theif to court….
The ganja smoker is hallucinating he is out of his mind. Running away from the demons he created through smoking ichamba.
Only f00ls will not see through his ploy…. using his song to seek asylum. Truth is, he is running away from poverty.
Said the pot to the kettle! He hits the rythem good and his messages are true as they irk some people. He has talent. Do you?
What talent? you call music synthsised using computer software talent? A first grader would do even better than that chamba smoking trump.
Nigga,
Pilato is awesome,
@Nigga, obviously you are not a first grader so why have you not done better? FYI, almost every singer in the whole wide world uses computer software for their music. One would think you would know better…
And yes, Pilato is AWESOME!
The big trumpet who blew choruses of corruption against PF has been arrested for corruption. Now AI realise the corruption plan is falling apart, they want to bring back dictatorship??? Pilato did his rubbish but no one went after him. Infact people are disgusted with his nonsense, it’s 3 weeks since he fled fearing his own shadow, why is it an issue today??? No one bothered whether he had fled or not, why AI bringing it up at the same time corrupt Kambwili is rightfully arrested???
China man I wouldn’t expect you to know the difference between knowing how to play a traditional instrument and using counterfeit music software. And of course I wouldn’t expect you to understand what am talking about. You lack understanding beyond what’s obvious.
Zambians can do anything to please those in authority. Pilato is better safe than sorry. Kapwepwe was beaten up by people who conveniently forgot that he used to be Kaunda’s friend and was also the Veepee.
Freedom of the press index scores for 2017 – Tanzania #86 , Kenya #90 both rated satisfactory and Zambia #114 under caption “difficult situation”.
With that in mind who’d blame Pilato for fleeing for his safety?
Lungu should ask Godfrey “Kenneth Kaunda” Miyanda about the perils of enacting & using draconian laws against innocent people. Miyanda enacted the new Public Order Act & he was the first to fall victim to the Act after he left Office when the same Law bit a juicy junk off the backside off the “Menace to Society’s” sticky & stinky backside where it never shines.
When we say the corrupt theif lungu has destroyed Zambias once illustrus democratic credentials the PF rats laugh …….now we have a situation where PF caders wielding pangas can attack anyone ,perceived as an enemy of lungu , in full view of the police…….corruption and cader rule is so bad now that council and government officials can not carry out their work ……at any time corrupt people breaking council laws just call PF who send their thugs to threaten the council workers……in full view of the police…
We think it is time to start sending emails to NGOs and other countries foringe officers and companies wanting to invest to highlight the corruption and pf cader rule and brutaity in zambia…..
We will this weekend start carfully prepering the email that will have worldwide distribution highlighting the corruption, violence and brutality lungu and pf are unleashing on Zambians….like past media campains we launched all incidences of pf brutality are verifiable …..
He can go anywhere, he can go eat his balls who does he think he is, who cares?
Amnesty International is based in USA, they should first deal with Trump suppression of everything before coming to Zambia! Races are not equal in USA so start from there! In Zambia everybody has access to freedom but those who break the law out of bitterness will be met with the wrath of law! You can’t have losers of election pretending to be winners!
Is the wrath of the law panga wielding PF rats attacking NDC ??
At least in the USA and other countries you can insult the president and you are not locked up like here in Zambia, or have your newspaper business closed down. the pen is mightier than the sword.
Jonathans days are numbered for sure!
You said the same in 2015 and 2016
You repeated it in 2017
You have again vomited the same in 2018 but the man is still there.
2021, 2021, 2021, It is 3 years and a half from now.
Best wishes for a long wait
“Pilato decided to leave the country after receiving a video message in December recorded by cadres of the ruling PF who threatened to beat him for releasing the song, which has been a huge hit since it came out in December.”
Is it constitutional what PF cadres are doing? Threatening to use violence to someone they don’t agree with, because seems like they’ve been tolerated by the Justice Department.
Those theives do as they chose …..they know the police are on their side….
I have said this before and I repeat …the problem lungu and his thieves face is there is not enough money to bribe the whole population of Zambia to turn a blind eye to their looting and stealing….lungu and PF can bribe all they want , but there simply is not enough money to bribe every one and those not bribed who feel left out will sing……..that is the big problem for lungu.
freedom of speech yes but on what extent and who is pilato to not be checked ,he exercised his rights to insult others also others her exercising there rights to oppose him period
THIS WEBSITE MST BE CLOSED
Humpty Dumpty tribal empty party.
Paranoid and guilty PF regime indeed – always threatening and attacking those with dissenting views, even when its through satire. As they say, “A proverb about a tattered basket, makes the man in rags feel nervous”.
PF shame on you! You go after those you consider a threat. I have to agree with Pilato. The President of Zambia and his ministers are all Bakoswe Mumpoto! There is nothing wrong in saying the truth. They are thieves profiting off money meant for the Zambian people. What’s wrong with calling a spade a spade? Explain the presidents wealth! Explain ministers wealth! Explain even the little dirty Mayors wealth! It just does not add up how some people who had nothing all of a sudden generate wealth. How! Mansions are being constructed, apartment complexes even for their children in their names. Children of certain heads are caught being involved in criminal behaviour yet nothing is done. They are untouchable. Is this the filth we want to protect? Bakoswe Mumpoto!
What’s wrong is you will serve time for nothing by these cowards then the DPP will enter nolle prosequi after you have been abused in prison!!
Zambians need cease to amaze me…Surely they can watch you rot and do nothing yet they were dancing to your music whilst doing what they do best drinking and dancing like foooools. Just see how the respond to videos on social media about sex – someone caught on camera having sex with a young prostitute in their vehicle on social media. Its reaches 2000 comments in just one hour some even begging for whatssup full videos and leaving their numbers.
WAKE UP FROM YOUR DOCILITY YOU FOOOLS!!
Humptys.
Is gone to North Korea . He must be careful there Kim Jo uhm doesn’t tolerate freedom of expression.
Some said his gone to Syria, but also Assad doesn’t tolerate freedom of Expression. It’s better to come back to Zambia Pilato naiwe. Kosafye
If you know that you have a clear conscience in spite of death threats you have to stay on, soldier on and take responsibility for your actions
You are very good at talking…when someone is murdered you fooools dont even contribute 1 ngwee for tombstone!!
Pilato has a strong conscious. He tried to join them and they thronged like a hero (pictures). His soul was troubled in that group and had to ditch them again. Now they are out for him.
Pilato has a strong conscious. He tried to join them and they thronged him like a hero (pictures). His soul was troubled in that group and had to ditch them again. Now they are out for him.
How can pilato run away? We are missing koswe mumpoto.
Let the chap start bathing otherwise they will eject him for akafumbe
Long live Pilato
How come HH hasn’t fled the country? This is fake and alarmist news. The guy is probably in some cholera epicenter somewhere in Lusaka.
Munthu aimba nyimbo yamushe, bafufa kumu paya. Leave him alone. We need him also.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN AFRICA MUST BE INTERPRETED THE AFRICAN WAY, WE ARE NOT IN THE WEST WHERE STUPIDITY AND DISRESPECT IS A DIVINATION OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH,,, IN AFRICA WHEN AN ELDERLY PUFFS WE DON’T SAY “U HAVE PUFFED) WE SAY I THINK THERE IS A DEAD RAT NEARBY ” IF AN ELDERLY IS WRONG WE OFFER AN OPTION AS A WAY IF SAYN THAN WAS WRONG. WE CAN’T EVEN SAY “TWAYA MUKUTOMBANA” WE SAY TWAYA MUKULALA, AND THAT’S AFRICAN FREEDOM IF SPEECH SO BUPUBA CAN’T BE N WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW YOUNG ONES TO INSULT IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
IF WE DID THIS IN AFRICA THE AFRICAN WAY WE WOULDN’T HAVE MIST IF THESE PROBLEMS AND STUPIDITY, IN AFRICA HUMAN RIGHTS DON’T INLUDE GAYSM, N GENDER CAN NEVER BE EQUAL GOD WASN’T N ISN’T A FOOL HE MADE A MAN N A WOMAN OBE TO B HEAD, WHAT SHOULD BE…
Yes we need pilato to entertain us BT he must do it responsibly and apply african mode of freedom of expression not western or European we r to respect the elderly wrong or right , that doesn’t mean we r to watch the wrongs, we have our african way of raising them with our elders
Pilato should learn to put his money where his mouth is.
He is a coward.
Why is he running away if indeed its the truth he is standing for.
All great men in history were willing to die for the truth including Mandela,Malcom X,Fidel Castro and Jesus himself.
When you cry for rain,you cry for mud.
Let’s not be cowards.He has his views and there others also who have different views.
Blatant arrogance in disrespecting leadership and elders is the very reason the UPND remains unattractive to non-Tongas.
PILATO ASHILABENGWA, ENDA NAFYONONA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is on the run alone. Self inflicted agony. Those who listened to his foolish music and spurred him on to insult balipe mumanyumba yawo. America will not take shi*tholes like Pilato for asylum. He is too dirty and scruffy. He may take cholera there. His sponsors have let him down. Shame!
If there is Freedom of expression, there ought to be Freedom of ReAction too. It can not be fair to insult elders let alone children without consideration. To hell with Amnesty Inter Insult.
In every house there is a father who need to be respected whether you have eaten or not, this culture erosion in the name of freedom of speech will deny us true freedom both in the eyes of God and the law, why running away when he knows he has done nothing wrong