President Lungu’s special assistant for Press and Public relations Amos Chanda has said that he is currently ashamed to be associated with a profession that can tell blatant lies for the express purpose of damaging the country’s reputation.
Speaking when he featured on ZNBC’s Sunday Interview with Grevazio Zulu, Mr Chanda expressed utter dismay and sadness that some publications such as New Vision, and in an apparent reference to News Diggers, have failed to uphold one of the strongest beliefs and ethics of journalism; TRUTH!
Mr Chanda noted that a politically motivated hatred and envy of President Edgar Lungu and his government was the baseline of the publications and hence their continuous resolve to push malicious falsehoods.
“A newspaper driven by political motives, gets a document planted on it because of their collective hatred, envy, they are disgusted that this political party is in power they drive an agenda as dirty as that,” Chanda said. Mr Chanda went on to wonder how individuals from the said publications sleep at night after peddling lies.
“We are worried when someone can just wake up and concoct lies and put them in a newspaper. It must worry us but more especially it should worry the liars who are waking up just for the express purpose of damaging the reputation of the country, they do not realise the presidency is an institution,” he said.
“You can throw as many insults as you want at the President but when you are seated in the hearts of heart alone, you must attempt to listen to your inner voice and say, is it logical, is this correct?”
Mr Chanda went on to question the type of society being created that even when glared with the truth can not apologies.
“We are worried when senseless accusations come out because what kind of society are we creating? Where you just wake up because you do not like Grevazio Zulu and say he has bought 20 houses when in fact he has not,” Mr Chanda said.
“Look at the moral decay, newspapers occupy a central position in public awareness and political education. You have a newspaper like the Vision who put up a lie and not just in their paper, they lie in the name of a respected publication, Forbes; that the President has 400 million and shares in scania.”
“He does not have that 400 million, he has no investments in scania and neither did Forbes publish that.”
Mr Chanda however, observed that the PF government under President Lungu was a decent government and instead of moving a criminal proceedings hoped the publication would have the morality to apologise and retract it’s false writings.
“We are talking about national values and principles it should be sufficient when you are called out that can you retract because that is not true you do so: this is four weeks and they have not… these are the things offending public morals,” he observed.
Mr Chanda reiterated his position that President Lungu has never taken a boat cruise or hired a cargo ship to ferry his shopping which goes against News Diggers screaming headlines of careless spending undertaken by the head of state during a trip to China and New York.
“I was explaining that the President has never been on a boat cruise, not just in New York but anywhere else he has never been and you publish that. It is not true that there was a cargo ship hired to carry the shopping,” he said.
“When you are called out like that, as a newspaper you must have the decency to say sorry and retract… It is just malicious, I can tell you because I was in New York.”
He recollected and advised that newspapers need to be at the forefront to project values of truth.
And when queried what his comment would be if the said publications insist on saying their position is correct Mr Chanda said:
“We will review our relationship with them because we know that is not true and these are the things that undermine national cohesion, decency and collectively you and I must be ashamed that we belong to the same profession with people who can tell blatant lies, that even when you are reminded it’s not true can go home and sleep and have a cup of tea.”
Mr Chanda mocked at the people creating these falsehoods about the President and the state of the nation saying they had too much time on their hands.
“So you have got a lot of people with a lot of pass time, time which they have no use for… A season of nonsense is just upon us… people who if they have time just use it to malign politician A, politician B or a person in government,” Mr Chanda said.
“If I was not in court with one of them I was going to give you the experience of lies, I was going to use that anecdotal experience.”
He even knows deep in his heart that he is not telling the truth.
Pot calling the Kettle #Icant
Like the thief that he is the president sneaked into South Africa without telling the nation what he was going to do there. The tax payer paid for that trip and have a right to know what he was doing in that country. The media has the right to speculate if the govt is economical with the truth.
If people have too much time on their hands, give them decent jobs to look after their families, pay their taxes and they will not care what the President and his government are doing.
Amos, it’s simple, you can’t see Your own wrongdoings. You hate the Media because they are telling the Truth. Stop being defensive and reflect on what people are saying. Might help your Boss to be a better Leader coz he is a big failure.
Awe Sure – Who should give them decent jobs?
Does’nt this guy look like a gremlin?
He thinks the media should work for him and his lazy boss only there to note down his statements…if he can not silence these small papers with answers imagine if the Post was around
Thank God I have managed to comment first on LT. I thank God for this great achievement in life beating the likes of bena Mushota. God is great!!!
Hahahaha, no chance Bo Munyenge. Lol
Chanda, season of !mbecility started way back in September 2011.
Instead of crapping, give tax-payers answers on where 15 billion USD have disappeared.
Zambians are not fools to be lectured by Amos Chanda the secretary to state house corrupt deals. The media is doing well to expose PF theft in which Amos Chanda is a partaker as he sits at the table of corrupt individuals. Amos the media simply affirm what your boss said, “uubomba mwibala alya mwibala, (Lungu,2018).
The zambian people will know more about chagwa for who he is,its public knowledge that the likes of mark 2 and Jk were part of that large entourage.Ba Amos can you for once also let the nation know that ZNBC, times of zambia and dairy mail are lying to the masses day in and day out propagating falsehood! Your spin schemes are known and patherlogical lies are the PF,s bedrock.
Spare the few remaining independent media your pathetic diatribe.
If these allegations are false then it’s important that you:
1. provide proof
2. take the matter to court for prosecution. We can’t allow irresponsible journalism.
Simply climbing on top of a roof top and ranting will not convince a lot of people. Really imature
Also, you need to address the issues around other concerns that people have raised. Am sorry but I have to refer back to the 42 scania fire trucks for 42 million dollars. Show us an explanation that doesn’t require corruption and kickbacks.
What about the 2.6million spent on a minister’s car that raised dust in parliament?
You must appreciate that all well meaning citizens want EL to succeed because if he succeeds then all of us benefit. But he has let us down by a large margin.
If Godridah Sumaili were relevant she should raise her head above the parapet and call out these liars in a government she is a minister. The trouble with this man and his president is that they think the Zambian people are ignorant they believe every blue lie they tell. That state of the nation speech was as ridiculous and diabolical; they man was in essence making pronouncements against the ills he was neck deep into himself. Time will be up soon and you lot will be called to account! Who does he think he is fooling? He and his ministers are at the center of several corrupt activities. He must not continue to insult our intelligence!
The Presidency is an institution.Those who are full of hatred and malice know that HH will never ever occupy that office.So they will demonize anyone or even anything that will occupy that office.I am partly excited about such malicious people mostly from the south because I am curious to see how long they will sustain their malice given that they only stand a chance to win an election in 2040.
In case a miracle happens,they should remember that the same malice will be brutally dished out to them.
Haters will Hate
Just sue them if what was published are lies. Truth is you are scared that you will open a Pandora’s box that will reveal all your corruption and misuse of public funds. I have never seen a president’s spokes person who is so powerful that he can call people and publications all sorts of names. You, my friend your time of reckoning is coming and your fall will be very painful.You are more powerful than the president himself because what you say must surely represent the thoughts of your boss. In short, this insolence is actually coming from him directed at us. What a shame.
Chanda
Your regime arrests people even for greeting each other and other minor non issues and someone says you are thieves and you want to justify not pursuing him?This is like Kambwili who has told us on numerous times that Edgar is corrupt and he has given specific examples todate this regime that arrests people for little more than nothing has been quiet.
That is why there have been calls for removal of this dul.l fellow.
Why wadte time going to court over 5tupid things. Just close them down and tgey wilk go screaming to their corrupt international organizations we dont give it a fuc.
Who cares F*CK about your crapping?
Mr.Chanda,why he is the president taxing Zambians heavily.Do u know that we no longer like the govt now.U have destroy my party PF.Sata promised low taxes but now u’re even taxing people who are using initiates to find water.Boreholes are not for council or lusaka water fimo fimo.u have failed the Zambians on to just to supply water .u should ashamed of yoself.where are u taking the money if not for buying malls n houses?Think about the zambians.what has happened to lungu who was supposed to be the great leader?u have destroyed the president imwe fimushololwa.Tell to be in touch of people before it’s too late
Look at the name MUNYENGE MUNYENGE. Celebrating to post first awe sure. Infact you are number 2. Kikikikikikikikikiki
Strange, these UPND publications don’t even have cameras, references, cruise companies or banks to use as evidence like we do in SA to support their falsehood!
Surely Zambia does not have a sea line.
Why should His Excellence hire a ship? Where is it going to dock? Mpulungu perhaps!
Wa fontine lya kantu. Understand issues before you open yours.
Laupula primer
You are du.ll PF rats indeed ….if someone says he is shipping his goods to Zambia it does not mean he is using a ship to Zambia ……
Provide tax payers with the evidence to prove that the new media outlets are wrong and you are right? That has been your mantra all along when tax payers say for instance that the 40 million dollars spent on the 40 scanias fire tenders was a shameful scandal of unimaginable proportion.Why are you failing to provide the nation with the evidence on your expenditure. The auditor general must be sleeping the job to allow such senseless spending when we do have schools without toilets and some parts of Matero township are still without proper sewerage system .
Ubomba Mwibala.
Where does ships carrying cargo destined for Zambia dock? Ignorant and blind. So called LUAPULA Premier.
Iwe fontinee if someone says he is shipping his goods to Zambia , he is not saying he is using a ship #$#@!@#$.
Mr. Amos Chanda, let me tell you that we have observed that you tend to come out strongly if your BOSS has been ‘caught pants down!’ You’re saying that no cargo ship was hired, but you don’t dispute that shipping was paid for. You don’t have to hire a cargo ship to have cargo shipped, you’re not fooling anyone! Yes ECL didn’t go on a dinner dance boat cruise because the payment for that activity was refunded, but the intention was there when it was initially paid for! You also fail to defend the need to charter a plane to NY against using commercial airlines. However you defend your BOSS, your government has been careless with Tax payers money on many occasions and it’s indefensible!
As the idiom goes “There is no smoke without fire”
As much as you will like to extinguish it with a blanket, smoke will still spew out.
Government is corrupt, mismanaged, disjointed and is devoid of a moral compass.
Advise this fellow, that I belong to his party, but we have had presidential spokespersons before who have been level headed and mature please. If you think people are telling lies and defaming you, aren’t the courts the best to go to. And of course not Sunday Interview
Simple: that agenda by the private media arises out of a need to counter the State owned media’s agenda. Just lets have government out of the media. Government owning media interferes with freedom of the press
What a lier , you see how theives operate ?
He is denying that lungu went on a boat cruse but not denying that some one from lungus gang went ? It might not have been lungu , but still GRZ money was waisted on shopping and the likes…..
And now you are confirming that lungu is indeed a corrupt thief , because you did not attempt to deny those allegations…but you have the time to deny that he has 400 million ???
The media, a la Fred M’membe’s post newspaper will never enslave this nation again. The people know these decievers, that’s why they dont sell. Mast, diggers are only bought by upnd supporters, tonga and lozi people.The Daily Nation and Daily Mail are flourishing and growing because they publish truths. Muvi tv is struggling financially amd prime will follow suit. People power, democracy and truth will carry the day!!!
“Amos Chanda blasts media telling blatant lies, says a season of nonsense is upon us”.
He has it backwards: A government in unending seasons of nonsense has been upon Zambia since ECL showed up. Just wasted years and seasons for Zambia. Why don’t elections come soon enourgh to save the dwindling drops of a country once called Zambia?
What should make Amos ashamed is to be part of a PF Delegation that squandered $17m on luxuries.
Yes they have a lot of time invested and paid for to seize power. Money lost over the years just has to be recovered even if the country is scorched
Basis of power change is immutably in following order of influence;
1. Ethnicity and regional identity – hence the home person always wins and it’s why there are so many independent MPs and Ward Councillors; UNIP won in Eastern when the rest of the country rejected it; and MMD lost when economic and social service delivery faltered such that many withdrew to the safety of their cabal resulting in the tribal voting that put PF in power and consigned UPND to perennial losers
2. Economic growth and employment – why would one vote out who provides, hence rural populations who make up over 70 per cent of the population favour the ruling party…