Thursday, March 28, 2024

31 year old man arrested for defaming President Lungu on radio show

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Police have arrested a 31-year-old man identified as Fred Maanya of Zaoni street in Luanshya for defamation of the President during a phone in radio program.

The incident occurred on 28th March, 2019 at 06 50 hours during a phone in program hosted by Millennium Radio Station in Lusaka.

The suspect is alleged to have called the radio Station where he introduced himself as Chanda from Kabwe and later used derogatory remarks on the Republican President.

Zambia police spokesperson Esther Katongo confirmed that investigations revealed that the suspect was not Chanda but Fred Maanya of Luanshya and not Kabwe as he suggested.

Mrs. Katongo said the suspect is yet to appear in Court.

43 COMMENTS

  1. Police seem to have too much time on their hands.Zambia is a democracy (govt for the people by the people)-if the people are not happy with their president why should they be arrested if they say so? Seriously our constitution needs amending .Is the National Dialogue Forum addressing this? Our prisons are heavily congested and the police still seem bent on violating human rights by throwing more people in jail.A jail does not solve anything.Punish people by community service not this arresting SH*T

    • And someone calls LAZY LUNGU a humble man …really laughable…if I were him I would tell the police to focus on crime fighting but we know LAZY isn’t Mwanawasa.

    • Warning! warning! warning!

      If you’re not CKinsultor, don’t defame the President.
      In other words you have to be a thick necked political figure to say anything you want, insultory, derogatory, defamatory and get away with it.
      But the president is merciful, a warn and caution may apply.
      The you will be told to go and sin no more.

    • For me to vote for HH he must promise to drop this silly defamation of the president law and to privatise Daily Mail and Times of Zambia and to make ZNBC a public broadcaster

    • My friendly advice to my Tonga friends, please watch what you say. Anything you say people will take it as been tribal even if it makes sense unlike the Bembas. Bembas can say anything against the Tongas and it will not any water but if the tonga say something even a joke it turns into a huge issue and it will be used against you. This is the truth, if you are smart watch your tongue.

    • This is how tyranny begins.
      The fact that there is this obsession to chase down small offenders like this is worrying. The economy is collapsing and you have time for such silliness?

    • This is so rid1culous. Please get rid of this foo1ish defamation law. It’s archaic and a colonial relic that has no place in modern dialogue. Stop stifling freedom of speech, you tyrants. Are we a democratic nation or a totalitarian State? Hello?

    • Police have too much time to protect only one person. I wonder how this reduces unemployment and constructs our roads. If Lungu feels Insulted he won’t go to the office?

    • Why is this one the most insulted so called president? Ba Zabwino Palibe, please publish the number of people you have arrested since independence for this so called crime so that we know why this one is insulted daily.

  2. Certain tribe should refrain from defaming lungu because its mistaken for bitterness lol. Especially names like Mwaanya.

    • @Ndobo, that what ai was wondering too, Maanya must be same tribe as Malanji. You know those tribes formed in Chimwemwe and Mpatamato, they only matter when he becomes president. Guy Scott is not recognised as former president up to now, because of tribe.
      Tribe matters bafikkala.

  3. Even if you don’t like Edgar Lungu, Fred Maanya you went too too far in defaming him. My dear you are going to rot in jail.Ukosefye sana

  4. Focus on fixing the economy not stupid issues. People will always defame if there not happy. Plesae leave him alone.

    • Don’t think you can hide behind the fake name. Your friend tried and he’s now lost his freedom. Insulting another person is a jailable offense. I don’t know where you come from if insulting people is ok. Personally I will respect any president regardless of their party. I can only protest by voting for those who vote. Otherwise let’s respect our leaders. And why give wrong name and address?

  5. Cage him while fixing the economy. A great nation like ours can multitask. All those using the media to defame any one need caging.you can criticize but refrain from defaming any one.

    • Why should I bail PF and lungu out while they are sending $75 million on jets and $1 million to go a view second hand $ 50k trucks ????

      Bytheway ndanji , when are those donated trucks arriving ???

  6. Freedom of speech is gone. PF have created an environment where people are no longer free to say what they want to say. I don’t know what Fred Maanya said but what I would like everyone to understand is that he did nothing wrong by hiding his real name. It is PF government to blame. Trying to force people hero-worship Edgar Lungu.

  7. Its not right to insult the president yes, but what about those guys who insulted Honorable Kambwili and his mother even threatened his life and their faces are known, are not yet brought to book. Where is justice in this country? does it mean that some people are above the rule of law? whose case was easier to track, the face or the voice?

    • Nothing will happen to them until that Lazy man issues a directive…even those selfsame jeeps you will find them at the next PF election campaign.

    • One of them is Amos Chanda but you will be told that only the president is protected by such a law. The rest of the population can insult each other

  8. Archaic defamation laws is what the NDF is supposed to remove instead they are busy bringing back deputy ministers.

  9. They will end up arresting the whole country as more people are erupting in frustration with this Toilet Economy and its kwacha! Police should prepare for the worst! In a True Democracy, these Archaic Laws of Defamation don’t exist and have no place in a Free Democratic society! If you look at all the abuse President Trump has suffered without anyone getting arrested, you start wondering what kind of democracy we have in Zambia. Release the man as almost all the citizens are cursing in their hearts! Haven’t you heard CK asking God where He got him?

  10. There is a civilised way and manner to express oneself. People are at liberty to criticise the president but they should not go to the extend of pouring insults. I’m sure Fred knew what e was about to say was wrong hence he tried to conceal his identity. As much we may dislike certain people, it does not give us the privileged to shower them with insults, it is just wrong! I hope that defamer can be sentenced to community work instead of congesting our already congested prisons.

    • The problem is that logic is no longer supreme. Insult people because you are on different camps it’s OK.

  11. Umushi “Kuti watuka infumu pamulandu wansala”

    Translated: the village is bound to curse the king when faced with starvation.

  12. Good work. It’s high time they start arresting some people. We think we have right to insult. Freedom of speech doesn’t me freedom to insult. ‘There is freedom of speech, but freedom after speech should me garanteed’

  13. Kkkkkkk but why is it that many tongas like to hide their real names?HH has really destroyed this tribe and it will take years for the tongas to start feeling proud of their tribe again.The nigga called himself Chanda from Kabwe when infact he is a FRED MAANYA (a tonga)!!This should be worrying to HH too because it is very clear that the only true UPND supporters are tongas and a few from Western and N/Western.This regional support cannot make HH win any presidential elections in Zambia!!TRIBALISM DOES NOT PAY,SO LET FRED MAANYA DANCE TO HIS TUNE IN POLICE CELLS!!!Zambians should learn to control their emotions because there can only be one president at a time.This is time for ECL,the rest should wait for their time!!!PLEASE ZP CAGE THAT TRIBAL CREATURE AND THROW KEYS INTO INDIAN…

  14. Publish or tell us the remarks so that we judge for ourselves if they are really derogatory. The PF used a lot of derogatory language on then president Banda when they were still in opposition and that apparently helped them win the elections. Why are they against it they time? Why criminalize any remark concerning Jemason?

    • The cops are within the law to arrest the gentleman because its enshrined in our constitution to arrsst anyone who defame the President.
      Its archaic and it needs to be one of the issues NDF should get rid of.

    • Kambwili can report these individuals to the police but it’s different with the president. It doesn’t matter who is president, he is always protected by law. Imagine if people just went on the streets calling the president CHATILE ABE CHI..
      Kambwili has every right to pick up the case and if there sufficient evidence the guy will either be jailed or depending on what the complainant feels he can be fined. It’s law not personal.

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