Thursday, March 28, 2024

Mwakalombe accused of harassing ZNBC Reporters over coverage

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Copperbelt Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe
Copperbelt Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe

Copperbelt Province Minister Japhen Mwakalombe is allegedly threatening ZNBC Reporters accusing the state broadcaster of blacking him out.

Mr Mwakalombe is reported to have verbally threatened some junior and senior Journalists at ZNBC with unspecified action for not airing his stories.

According to some Journalists at both the Kitwe and Lusaka studios, the Chongwe Member of Parliament claims there is a ploy to make him unpopular by not covering his stories.

The Journalists who sought anonymity for fear of victimization revealed that Mr Mwakalombe has now instructed ZNBC Kitwe Studios to be calling his office in Ndola every day to get his “diary’.

“Basically what is happening is that the Minister is upset that we are blacking him out. He called last week and blasted at our bosses saying he will deal with us. He has since told our bosses to be checking his office every morning to find out what the Minister will be doing for that day so that he is assured of coverage,” one of the Reporters complained.

The Reporters stated that Mr Mwakalombe accused ZNBC of having certain Ministers which he feels the state broadcaster prefers to cover, leaving him out.

“Somehow the Minister feels we are covering some Ministers such as Bowman Lusambo more prominently than him. This is the source of this confusion, he feels Bowman (Lusambo) is better covered than him and he now wants us to focus our cameras on him so that he can compete with the Lusaka Minister in terms of coverage, this has made our work easier,” another Kitwe based Journalist complained.

Another Journalist disclosed that the complaint regarding Mr Mwakalombe’s harassment has been reported to Director General Richards Mwanza.

“We have ended up reporting to the D.G for protection because we don’t know what the Minister is plotting against us. We hope our D.G will engage the Minister in order to understand how news is compiled. We can’t just get everything that the Copperbelt Minister does even if it is not news.”

The Reporters also advised Mr Mwakalombe to invest in good working relationship with the media.

“The problem with the Minister is that he only prefers moving around with ZANIS and if ZANIS sends us stories, sometimes we don’t use them. He needs to learn from Bowman Lusambo who works well with all Journalists both from public and private media. Even when he was in opposition or during his Die Hard days, the media still covered Bowman because he knows how to create a good working relationship with them and Mr Mwakalombe should just learn from him and not threaten us. We need to keep our jobs.” The Reporter added.

21 COMMENTS

  1. Just the look of him, you can tell the accusation is likely the truth.

    This is why I am NOT into Zambian men.

    Too aggressive, dodgy past, women hitters and they dont earn much money to start with. They drink uncontrollable – filthy animals.

    Sorry about all that rant. I am not having a particularly good day

    Thanks

    BB2014,2016

    • There is zero order in the PF.

      The current captain of this party is asleep at the wheel.

      When Sata was alive, there were no such incidences.

      The ministers then were very quiet and towed the party line.

    • @Mushota:

      You have been looking for Zambian men in the wrong places.

      Try men outside the komboni or shebeen for once.

      You will even regret that you settled for a Scottish geriatric.

    • Why are you answering the fo0lish smelly slut despising Zambian men, leave that harlot alone. Back to the issue…ministers are jostling for cameras so that the President can see them delivering. What we see on ZNBC news and from ministers, some of it is not news at all but the moribund broadcaster broadscasts them as news. Unbelivable

  2. Come on, that is a stupid comment, as a zambian man, I own a house in London, I have sent my daughter to a private school, soon to go to Cambridge university. I have met many zambian men who are good noblemen, for Christ sake give us some respect and get some education stupid woman

  3. Hon. Mwakalombe is RIGHT BOWMAN is given so much airtime but we hear NOTHING from Copperbelt since he was transfered their. BL must have instructedznbc kitwe TO FRUSTRATE THE young man full of WISDOM and POTENTIAL 2021 CANDIDATE FOR A YOUNG PRESIDENT LIKE soon ZIMBABWE WILL HAVE THE 40s PRESIDENT.

  4. Alternative Facts Fake News S**thole Countries Social Mobility Chinese Zambia Police Reservists Corruption scandals: Ambulances Fire Trucks Mukula Trees Ndola-Lusaka Rd Malawi Maizegate Fuelgate Swaziland landgate Zesco Loans Alternative Facts Fake News S**thole Countries Social Mobility Chinese Zambia Police Reservists Corruption scandals: Ambulances Fire Trucks Mukula Trees Ndola-Lusaka Rd Malawi Maizegate Fuelgate Swaziland landgate Zesco Loans

    Go to CNN and read: “Turkey’s currency crisis rattles global markets

    h_t_t_p_:_/_/_money.cnn._c_o_m/2018/08/12/investing/turkish-lira-currency-crisis/index._h_t_m_l (remove ‘_’ underscores)

    Those are the people cr00ked Chagwa Lungu was asking for bailout money assistance.

  5. Its true bowman is covered even for rubbish things, like meeting Koffi. Bowman has even become bigheaded. Dont be suprised with the upcoming internal pf elections, you will hear that bowman wants to be VP. Wait & see. When no one has head of any intelligent initiative from him.

  6. Trouble is that this tribal h.h thing is no alternative!!! Puke..puke…puke…puke..puke!!! Aahh someone give me some water please!! No, not you Prof Lazy Jay j and your triba.l “prof” Hansungule!!!

    • @#10, Are you talking about the TRIBAL COALITION that masquerades as a party? The Professor in Tribalism has come on the scene today from RSA. You can see tribalism written all over his face too. Pro. Hansoni.

  7. Sharon you surely love HH, you might need to slow down on this HH addiction, as you know addiction can kill you. Take a deep breath and maybe mediate or think about something different

  8. 1stly news should be based on important issues such as life changing policies & deals being signed. Economic , Political , Social etc

    Talking about a road belt in kabulonga or chawama or Kansenshi is not supposed to be in the 19:00hrs main news.

    Have you ever seen BBC talking about a road being commissioned?
    What policies have Japhen & Bowman put inplace? lets not be petty trying to get the attention of 1 man.

  9. Japhen Mwakalombe is a giant killer, he defeated Belinda Nafwa twice. At first MCS intervened and caused him to resign, then he sent him into foreign service. The second time Belinda asked for 5 recounts until election officials asked her to count the ballots herself! Mwakalombe the hero

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