Presidential Spokesman Amos Chanda has charged that the US State Department and UN Refugee’s agency both rushed into condemning the Zambian government after it handed over Zimbabwean opposition politician Tendai Biti.
Mr Chanda described as extremely premature the statements from the State Department and UNHCR which stated that Zambia flouted international law on the protection of asylum seekers
He said the two institutions would not have issued the statements they did if they know what they know now.
Mr Chanda was speaking on Monday evening when he featured on a special interview on ZNBC TV.
He also charged that there is no situation that warrants the imposition of sanctions against Zambia over the manner it handled Mr Biti.
“The State department statement was issued too quickly, if they waited like up to now, they would not have issued that statement,” Mr Chanda said.
He added that some irresponsible citizens are saying more than what the statement from the US State Department said and are now wishing sanctions on Zambia.
Mr Chanda said he believes that a more reasoned approach will be taken when the two nations engages in talks.
He also suggested the world may be probably looking at a publicity stance with regard to Mr. Biti’s case.
“Zambia’s cooperation with the US is more than a PR stunt at the border. At the request of the US government, we have turned away some people from this country and I believe that Zambia and the US will engage in a more reasonable approach,” he said.
Mr Chanda said it is irresponsible for Zambian citizens to wish sanctions on their government.
The State Spokesman also clarified that there are no double standards in the manner the Zambian government handled Mr Biti’s case and the entry into Zambia of Moise Katumbi.
“On Katumbi and Biti, there are no comparisons there because the situation in the DRC is different. Katumbi and his brother Soriano didn’t seek asylum in Zambia,” Mr Chanda said.
Oh dear Amos has lost it now
Thanks
BB2014,2016
He also suggested the world may be probably looking at a publicity stance with regard to Mr. Biti’s case…..
I love PF but this is a load of codswallop
A case where something are best left untold
I am a PhD holder
Thanks
Bb2014,2016
It is the whole Zambian political arena that has lost it.
But with this government, they never had it in the first place.
But you know what?
Karma is a real b1tch.
These thieves think they will be in office forever.
What is wrong with Amos kanshi???, it’s the work of home affairs to issue statements on deportations, not state house,, yaba,
Mr Chanda speaks as if Zambia helps USA and provides aid to USA. Is USA even moved by your statement? But their (USA) statement has moved us all because we know what can go wrong if they fix a plug on aid. Ninshi yazanda muka but for you and your cronies, you will not suffer. The people who will suffer is the poor not you who have suddenly become rich.
What this gremlin is not telling us is whether there was a court order or not. The lawyer was on BBC Africa and said the authorities had been served with a restrain order pending judicial review. Anyway Biti knew what he was doing and the foolish PF govt fell into his trap. If he truly wanted asylum, he would have gone to SA or Botswana
Coming from someone who has taken 5 days to respond to this sensitive issue publicly …remember how they swiftly dealt with Cuban Ambassador who attended Meembe’s Socialist party launch? Its ironic for him to be talking about premature statements.
Where is the President..doesn’t he ever take responsibility of anything!!
Silence is golden, so they say. After the terrible blunder, and having been censured by the UNHCR on breach of international humanitarian laws, Govt should have opted to remain quite and assure the world of investigations to determine what transpired…..although as we all know, after Dora’s statement, the whole move was engineerd by Govt itself.
Knowing Trump, I am sure heads will roll sooner rather tha later.
Trump hates criticim. He reacts aggressively. Expect a tweet pretty soon!
Who did people really vote for ????? And where is he or she or …..
Shameless
The person whom people voted for started campaining when we were expecting him to start working,he has been in campaign mode since so this twerp now believes it is his mandate to run the office.
I agree with the US State dept in their condemnation of the handing over of Biti to the Zim gov but when it comes to sanctions on the nation as a whole I disagree with that. Sanctions of individuals I agree with because we have selfish individuals who are putting their welfare above others. Let’s not look to far in the future one day Zim will be ruled by MDC it is inevitable on that day how will it look to the current govt when trying to work with that govt?
No Mr. Spokes person.
You are wrong.
Your government defied a court order preventing his immediate deportation.
Now you have yet again made Zambia the topic of negative world news.
There is no end to how you continue embarrassing our beautiful country.
You have brought great shame on us.
UPND Cadre use your brains for once and not your balls
i hope upnd/hh doesn’t form government until you learn how to articulate issues with the rule of law, the constitution together with other international laws. for you pipo to use your emotions to comment on international issue is just unfortunate.
shu shu shu you are too way above these cadres
The wicked flee when no one pursues:
Proverbs 28:1
Firstly, I am not UPND. I do not think HH is the answer to our problems caused by the drunkard thief Lungu.
Secondly, I do have balls, and brains. Both are very big.
Do you think the world is rolling red carpets for Zambia at the moment?
Zambia is in a mess, and all you can do is insult those that have genuine concern for the motherland?
When someone you like does wrong, you tell them so that they can change. Do not just follow and support blindly.
Let us join forces and make this government accountable.
Zambia is bigger than PF or UPND.
1.Ok ba Chanda please tell malanji to think before he talks.He is lacking deplomacy.Indeed kalaba was the man for that job but due to inconsistency of your govt he resigned.There was no need to deport Biti period.Lungu should fire malanji.
2.Please stop the charge of 30 ngwee on data bundles u’re killing the economy.people will stop buying bundles and your jobs in telecom industries will be lost.Don’t introduce taxes too much to people.we know u need money for Kaloba but some justifications on certain things don’t make sense.We buy bundles, therefore they are not free.So your cabinet is lacking pipo to help govern the country.Please ba lungu be careful with yo cabinet. its very easy to destroy yoself within a year.PF is still popular but don’t take pipo for granted.We love the party…
I truly hope the next government reverses these policies of economic exploitation of our citizens.
The cost of living in Zambia is now at par with Europe. Some services are even more expensive in Zambia.
Even houses in Zambia are almost same price as those in the UK.
And yet the salaries in Zambia are only a fraction of those in Europe.
This is totally unacceptable.
This government is killing its own citizens.
What do they know now, which they didnt know then? Especially that its from you headless chickens!!!!
They didn’t watch the actual interview of Amos. Otherwise, they would have been praising him. Amos is a well researched and objective spokesperson. He tremendously avoided being political and name calling. You can tell by these guys’ rantings that they have lost touch with the reality in Zambia. Ala bane the country is headed for prosperity. We will give ECL some more time in 2021 to guide further. When you come back to Zambia, you’ll be amazed.
Are they all hit by madness now…..?
Amos Chanda you are best advised to shut up you mouth and stop trivialising a serious matter. It was your deportation of Tendai Biti that was hasty. Who are you trying to fool? The more you wriggle, the deeper you sink.
The next president should not employ the Evelyn Hone Journalists,we had problems with Dickson Jere,George Chela was an 1diot and this one the English language is yet to coin a word to describe this little twerp
Dickson jere was good…
many pipo especially the pro upnd/hh here comment on issues they don’t know or have very little knowledge about.
as you talk now, where is your biti you are crying for. he is not dead, he is not in prison but at home on bail for the unrest he cause due to his careless utterance.
Spot on, voice of reason. The problem with UPND is that they are so bitter that they have even lost their patriotism to their own country. They would rather Zambia goes into flames. You cannot allow a person who carelessly cause death to innocent people come and hide in our land. Amos has told them America issues instructions to Zambia not to allow certain individuals to enter Zambia. So who is Tendai Biti?
America can issue directives to you because they have the power to direct the world economy which Zambia doesn’t have. The Americans and the UN agency for refugees have also complained. Does it mean they are also UPND? So now whoever holds a contrary view to PF is UPND? How ironical.
Childish reasoning @ 6.2.
@ Mwakale – Please follow up the issue of Tendai objectively. C200 has enlightened you about Tendai’s condition now. He’s very well and freely moving about in Zimbabwe. He was just trying to hoodwink the international community into thinking his life is in grave danger in his own country, when infact not. Infact, he should be praising the Zambian govt for the plausible action it took and ensured that he had a very fair and speedy court hearing back in his home country. Even the US State Department & the UNHCR will be praising our govt soon over the stance it has taken in both Tendai’s and Katumbi’s cases.
Government made a wrong decision by charging 30ngwe people buy data it’s not that they get for free and don’t compare with your salaries ministers and jobless people. PF we support you but now you bringing bogo in Zambia to make people smell
They probably get free talktime from the mobile providers
Nretwork providers
The matter died a natural death but you want to resurrect it.
Go and ask president of Turkey. Trump is something lol
The little money youve made by working for lungu is nothing to withstand trump.
Suddenly you are so blinded to think you can stand up to the strongest country.
Were is dickson jere. Goerge chella. At one time they felt power like president
What a useless way of decision making
Please make everything expensive nangu K2 on data,na zesco yonse and bank interest rates.And then we shall be walking,eating and sleeping on our beautiful township roads.
Sleeping on our beautiful township roads is more than what one can bargain for as they are being led by rebels to be shot at a mass grave. Many of these bitter bloggers here are potential murderers. Abash rebels! Peace in Zambia! Muletasha bane, umutende usuma nangula namulale nsala!
SO THATS WHY YOU HANDED HIM OVER QUICKLY SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK INNOCENT…..YOU HAVE NO VOICE AGAINST AMERICA….CAREFUL WE DON’T WANT NEEDLESS PROBLEMS……
Keeping Biti here was going to be a source of needless problems.
This is what happens when you have a visionless president and dull cadres; USA should impose sanctions on PF leaders and freeze their assets which belong to Zambians
Amos may not be right but the condemnations from you Upnd cadres is not because you love Zambia NO!!. You want to inflame the situation out of proportion. Yes the USA gives aid but that doesn’t mean they should dictate everything. And I wonder if these cadres know that the USA doesn’t belong to bodies like the international Criminal Court etc and why. A USA citizen can commit crime against humanity in the DRC and will not be answerable to any international court. The Libyan people behaved like our own Upnd and helped the USA topple Gaddafi. Where are they now?
A time is coming when Zambia will dictate to the West. Were there is a will, there is a way. Nothing is impossible.
And former US President B. Obama agrees with you, when he was asked about his most regrettable military undertaking – His answer was LIBYA & GADDAFI. I totally agree with you, the USA gives us aid but they should not dictate and criticize even sensible actions our govt took in Tendai’s case.
This issue is Now Closed by the State Department and Normal Relationship and Friendship with US Continues Its been seem and the events have since overtaken The residential Spokes man is correct in the way he has said it and the actions taken on BIT If it was political asylum and persecution and not running away from running violation and funning violence in Zimbabwe The Zambian Gov was going to shield Biti and He is free to come and visit anytime Zambia since the due process of the law has been followed
The guy Biti incited violence and when he saw people get killed he decides to run away. Now if one sets their emotions aside. …suppose our government agreed to offer sanctuary to the would be fugitive. …what was going to be the relationship with Zimbabwe? Definitely Zimbabwe were going to ask for the return of this man…..what was going to be our answer to the request? Oh no we can’t release him because of international blah blah blah. Remember at the time of the Zimbabwean coup detat the Upnd were ready to have Zimbabwe attack Zambia. ..this is according to that audio circulated by Upnd media where the coup leader is threatening Edgar for allegedly condemning the power take over.
Ndanji
It’s not about not offering asylum to biti that some of us are annoyed about , it is the way it was done , there are more intelligent ways of handing biti over without looking like a brute kaponya government.
A more measured way to satisfy both international and zim governments was to wait a day or two while we say assurances were being sought for his safety when handed back. Without a shadow of dought munangagwa would have provided those assurances…..
Spaka certainly I don’t expect you to see the logic that is contained in the posting. I’m sure from your safe haven you would celebrate if ill befell this great nation.
@ Spaka
Instead of your one day, it took our effective govt hours to do just what you have suggested. Taking into account that his passport was not stamped by the Zimbabwean side of the border, what were you going to classify Biti during that short stay in the country, Assylum seeker or tourist?
Ndanji
I only celebrate if I’ll befell the corrupt theives that a sucking the blood Zambians everyday, and I am sure you will keep dancing dunnuna even when zambias every last meter is in Chinese hands….
Nipnak
If it took hours to seek assurances why is there international condemnation of that handing over ???
We are talking about seeking assurances so public can see. Not doing things in corners or in the dark like you are trying to sell illigal mukula logs…..
Sanctions are heavy things imposed on specific and clear violations as for that madam wishes and others who called for suspension of US AID Shame to have even thought about it They could have learnt from the the Zimbabweans increased sanctions even now imposed but such is not the case of Zambia
Amos Chanda is saying something without really saying anything.Call it prevarication or call it beating about the bush -he didn’t give us any meat on the Miti bone/no reasons advanced.
Enka, Amos clearly stated that there is no charge on Dr Miti from any court within Zambia to warrant our President ECL to reprimand him for. If you can’t get that, then get down here.
Sanctions, sanctions you pipo think when sanction come it we be just for pf.no you are a zambian or you live in zambia it we come to zambia.for you who wish for sanctions to come to zambia tell you wht it will not come.God is their.
Amos Chanda, you are so dull, i wonder if you passed your grade 7 special papers 1 & 2. Don’t comment on issues that you seem not to understand. Zambia and the world is bigger than state house where you are hiding and American president Donald Trump is bigger and most popular than your boss Lungu.
Even state house where you are boasting off yourself is a salaula house from the British govt governors.
Swallow your pride! You supposed to be an office orderly at state house.
Dull posting! How I wish you had watched the Special Interview last evening.
It’s not about not offering asylum to biti that some of us are annoyed about , it is the way it was done , there are more intelligent ways of handing biti over without looking like a brute kaponya government out to protect and entrench dictatorial regimes ……
A more measured way to satisfy both international and zim governments was to wait a day or two while we say assurances were being sought for his safety when handed back. Without a shadow of dought munangagwa would have provided those assurances…..then you hand him back while blocking those tu ma court injunctions with technicalities …
The chap has not even attempted to say anything detailed or give a clear clue of what he wanted to put accross. This kin of mediocre should stop at state house. It seems these chaps are all busy drinking and having pwando instead of working. The chap is never prepared to issue a properly articulated issue about any topic.
@ The Observer – Please, you should continue drinking and having pwando instead of carelessly commenting on issues you have very little information about.
There were discussions and assurances before BIT could be handed over to the Zimbabwean authorities The assurance that BIT was safe and his life was not in danger was made and only required to appear before the Courts for instigating violence towards a legitimate Zimbabwean Gov The Zambian Gov is responsible enough to protect each and every Zimbabwean and Foreigners life whose life is under threat and only determined to handover such if safety is guaranteed
Zambia and Zim are one and BIT is free having appeared in Court to enter Zambia and stay as long as he enjoys provided he is clean from any acts
Very backward chaps these at statehouse…..if assurances were given from zim about his safety , a more diplomatic and intelligent way was to ask zim authorities to offer public assurances to show Zambia was following international norms in seeking his saftey after being handed over…..
In any case bitis safety is guaranteed as munangagwa can not be seen as a brutal dictator while he desperately needs western help…..there is noway biti can be mistreated…..all this diplomatic fallout was unnecessary with some diplomatic chess…
We sure have kaponyas running our diplomatic section….
We want to govern ourselves. Remote control of our lives does not go well with the ” freedom” that we said to have gained after 24th October, 1964. BITI should not run away from justice. He very well knows the politics game is not for the weak at heart. Stay and finish the fight you started.
Diplomacy does not mean you are giving up your freedoms….being aware and navigating bad international press does not mean you are not independent or some one is in remote control , no.
Pink Toe, Sir you speak about Biti running away from justice and that it was right to hand him back to Zimbabwe. Firstly Munagagwa whom we are now working for by arresting Biti, himself ran away from Zimbabwe. If South Africa had handed him back to Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe and the Zimbabwean courts would have seen him into a long jail term. Secondly courts in Zimbabwe have little independence and there is no guarantee that Biti will receive affair trial.
But thirdly, it was not Biti who shot unarmed demonstrators. In all civilized societies (except Zambia) the right to assemble and demonstrate peacefully is protected by the constitution and can not be interfered with. The demonstrators were doing nothing wrong. It is the soldiers who shot them who should be in court. It is quite clear…
MUKULA MBULU AYANGA NA MAKA – First, you are a f.ool to imply that Zambia is an uncivilized society. Secondly, the Zambian Government, unlike a d.ull individual that you are, knows very well that handing over Mnangangwa to Grace Mugabe is not the same as handing over Biti to Mnangagwa. Thirdly, you have no idea about what the demonstrators were doing – you just make an assumption that they “were doing nothing wrong”. We sacrificed so much so that Biti can be free and insult/incite people, we are not going to be a safe haven for f.oolishness after independence – he can go to South Africa.
Nipnak
I hope you are the new face of a PF support blogger …….the ones they have are doing a dis service to PF and lungu…
The subject together wit 6 people ave since been charged for inciting protests in Harare Its no doubt BIT is known to Zambia as a distinguished former Finance Minister that is why his asylum was handled with the most serious attention it deserved He was handed over only after determining that his life was safe You see under Geneva 1951 asylum is only given to individuals and persons fleeing people fleeing persecution or serious harm in their own country and therefore in need of international protection. Asylum is a fundamental right; granting it is an international obligation Protection is only granted only for as long as the grounds for persecution or serious harm persist or exist In the case of BIT…
that was not the case Therefore his request did not qualify for asylum and was denied, he was turned over to Zimbabwe’s security services and subsequently released on $5,000 bond. Its business as usual now in Zimbabwe’s township of Chitungwiza, , Glen Norah, Glenview, Highfields, Kuwadzana,Seke and Dzivarasekwa
Zim and Zambia is one country and security of the two countries is of prime importance and politicians should be more exemplary and show leadership even when could be right and not be seen to instigate
These Upnd cadres have never seen how a war zone looks like. Even this HH would not be able to stay and remember he’s got billions stashed away in foreign countries. But because of insatiable appetite that it’s time your own becomes president you don’t care about the security of Zambia. USA is just a country like Zambia which evolved it’s own democracy which cannot work 100% for other nations. Iraq ,Libya, Syria etc need people like Sadam, Gaddafi etc to prosper. Here in Zambia we should perfect our system without always crying out to America at every problem. I’ve said before that the USA will always prop up even the most brutal regimes. ….Egypt has incarcerated an Aljezera reporter for over two years without trial and USA has kept quiet why? Egypt is very important to the…
That’s the problem with most in PF , most are nothing but nationalistic nutcases without shame of begging for aid and bailouts , then in the same sentence screaming we are independent…..when actually they can survive one year without international aid….play by the rules or show you are independent by shunning all aid or bailouts ….
As a former Malaysian priminister once said of their kind …..
” they pump their chest feathers in defiance and pomp , but if you look at the tail feathers , you see feathers full of sh.it “
Dear Shu shu shu,know that Truth is neither UPND,UNIP or PF,but can be any of the above mentioned.I would advise u to research the meaning of Demoncrazy.If it’s true this word means “The rule of demons,by demons and for demons” then I do not see how a True human in the image of God would waste his/her precious time to argue with u.Demons never agree with wisdom, it’s their nature.Ask yourself if the Bible call the devil the ruler of this world how does he do it?Alone or by delegating power to his followers in human form?
The problem is that as Zambians we are so glued to failure to manage ourselves. honestly some chap who causes havoc in his own country and decides to run away after some people have lost their lives due to his foolishness should be allowed to stay or pass through to another country, for me the chap is a hazard not only to his country but the continent if not the whole world. with sloppy mind the next this biti guy will be doing in zambia if allowed to stay is control our government and everyone will be like its his human right. the man is a problem and for me he should first clear himself with the government of his country.
When is Zambia going to give AID to USA and Great Britain out of Copper, God has given us?
UK got that aid many decades ago. Our mines developed some areas in the UK against our wishes.
PF pissed off the world when they handed a guy over despite there being a court order terminating the deportation and when he was deported he was thrown in jail just as everyone thought. Amos should be apologizing because those actions can come back to haunt him and his boss. Imagine ECL running to Swaziland only for miswati to hand him back in minutes without any dual process
We would welcome such a decision by Swaziland – not so? There is a growing tendency in Africa by losing politicians wanting to cause mayhem hoping to ascend to power after an electoral loss. When they are treated like the way Zambia treated Biti – many will be thinking twice before making careless pronouncements.
The process of handing over should be done within confines of the law then nobody will complain. The problem here is pf ignored the court order and deported the man who was immediately incarcerated.
Beggars and thieves all in one!! This country has gone to the Dogs!!!
True but may be it is Dogs that have gone to rule our country!
This must serve as a warning to HH who like inciting ordinary citizens for violence with a plan to runaway to another country because he can afford it. Nowadays in SADC region we are handingover to the authority for you to answer for your sins. SADC under the able leadership of HE the president of Zambia ECL, shall not tolerate violence from mediocre leaders. Who is Tendai Biti to us anyway? Caused confusion in Zim and innocent people lost their lives and he want to bring his bloody politics to Zambia, noway.
SADC only tolerate violence from crooked dictators and theirs parasitic followers like you!!!
This 1diot issues statesments beyond his jurisdictions, the home affairs minister should have been more appropriate or the president himself, or is it because he considers himself smarter than the rest of them 1diots?