By Harry Kalaba
Fellow Zambians, Ladies, and Gentlemen,
Today is a very sad day in the history of Zambia. The closing of the biggest Zambian owned TV station by the PF government without cause is not only an unfortunate incident, but an act of cowardice, impunity, and desperation by an unpopular government which has out used all its unwitty government survival ploys and now resorts to dictatorship.
Prime TV was the only TV station which got to the community and showed the world how you live, your sufferings and your happy moments. Today the Patriotic Front government is using the same old MMD tactics which President Sata and all of us fought. How many Zambian companies are we going to allow President Lungu to destroy? Dora Siliya destroyed Zambian Airways, President Lungu got her to destroy the Post, and today they have managed to destroy our community pride Prime TV.
The closure of prime TV demonstrates that president Lungu is not interested in your good fare. How does he close Prime TV for no reason when Prime TV is a Zambian employer of youth. How does he destroy prime TV and yet he went to China to broker a loan for digital migration, a loan of $274 Million, when we had the option of going digital with no cost to the government. President Lungu brokers and guarantees a loan for Top Star a Chinese company to come and regulate and carry content for Zambian companies. Is President Lungu president for Zambians or for Chinese?
The Chinese have their own very good president who takes good care of his people. He provided funds for his Chinese people to build business enterprises in China and all over the world. Yet the Zambian president is all out to destroy the businesses facilitated by his predecessors.
Country women and men,
I am not one to judge good and evil.
And I don’t want to judge the religious convictions of President Lungu, the religious minister and all concerned, as I have no authority over that. However, the behavior of our own leadership does not reflect the behavior of a government of a Christian nation. I call upon the religious minister my mother whom I respect so much, to resign if she is not effective in providing guidance on morals and values for the leadership to which she is a party to. If your own leadership cannot rule the country on values, how do you expect the people to live by proper values? My mother Madam Sumaili, we know that the PF dirt is not yours, please resign as you are being smeared with this dirt.
Country women and men,
President Lungu has destroyed more jobs while he has failed to create jobs for the suffering youth and the people of Zambia. He has failed to control the price of mealie meal. He has failed to control the economy which is completely dead. The only thing he wants to control is you and I. Is that what we voted him for?
The closure of Prime TV is not about Mr. Shawa and his people. It’s about President Lungu not wanting the Zambian entrepreneurs and Zambian businessmen and women to survive and thrive. It’s about president Lungu sending a message to you and me that only he and him and what he wants matters. It’s about taking you and me back to the days when Zambia was a one-party state when no dissenting voice was allowed. It’s about President Lungu’s cowardice and desperation of losing the elections next year, the fact which is well known to him and his colleagues.
We had made so much progress as a country since 1991.
Today President Lungu has managed to reverse all the gains of the multiparty state in just 6 years of his rule.
This is the fastest collapse of any economy in the history of the world. He has taken us back to pre-1991 where we were queuing up for mealie meal.
He has added another element that has never been seen in Zambia before, he is a dictator in all its forms.
Zambians have more than suffered under President Lungu’s leadership. Corruption, Intimidation, political violence and killings, Arsons, gassing of people and dictatorship…its all under PF.
I call upon all the people of Zambia to stand with Prime TV. I call upon the Church to stand with Prime TV. I call upon all the politicians to stand with Prime TV. We must show Madam Dora Siliya that Zambia is bigger than her. We must show President Lungu that Zambia is bigger than him.
Let us all join hands as brothers under the sun at this crucial and defining moment of our time
Let us defend the values and morals of our country. Today its prime TV, tomorrow it’s you and you and you and me. It’s all of us.
Let us defend the principles on which our beautiful precious Republic of Zambia was founded upon, the principles which make us to stand and proclaim the pride and freedoms of us as a people. The freedoms our forefathers fought for. The principle of fairness and equality.
Harry Kalaba
President
Democratic Party
Let’s believe again!!
my brother these called the last kicks of a dieing horse , as PF and Lungu’s leadership is died and waiting
the actual people’s celebrations in 2021 . shame , i wish we just let Guy Scot to rule want a mistake we all
giving a wrong person a chance like this . God save us , wait 2021 is soon .
If wishes were horses beggers might ride… Keep on dreaming as always…
In as far as I would not support closure of any TV station such as Prime TV, I would as well not support the bias in reporting of a TV station such as Prime TV. Prime TV was reporting as if it was owned by HH and UPND. The TV station failed to remain neutral but at every time it propped UPND. I think some lesson has been learned by other TV stations.
ZNBC reports as if it’s owned by PF. I’m yet to see your criticism of ZNBC.
Prime TV was just trying to give us news from the other side to counter act deadn bc which is completely biased towards government and PF.
In Africa I don’t know whether freedom fighters fought for freedom and liberation from colonialism or fought to enforce dictatorship on its own people? People who never paid any price for freedom can never understand the cost borne by those who did. Today we sit to insult they that died to see us free today. But even then are we really free today in our own country? And free from what? Poverty we have always and ever increasing despite the increase in knowledge by the people. Nations we fought for freedom are the same ones who own us through debt today, they can impose any sanctions on and we are doomed, so I ask again, are we really free. I agree with he that said give an African a gun and he will point it at his own brother to shoot. ZNBC never covers the opposition unless it suits the…
Contd: ZNBC never covers the opposition unless it suits the party in power for political mileage but we are quiet about this. Govt will always want you to hear and know what it wants to hear and know and never what you really must or need to know. It’s a society of deception and the state is good at that. Anyway knowledge and wisdom are never meant for fools because they never realize the value or worth that the two possess, it’s like throwing pearls to a pig. Wise up Zambians before it is too late.
Zambians we are against ourselves.
We don’t know how this is affecting our future.ECL has undoubtedly gone down the history pages as a presidential paragon of dictatorial tendencies coupled with unchristian values.People who can’t control anger are most likely to make decisions based on retaliation,hostility and revenge.
This action by the PF is signal of bad things to come.The 2021 elections will be brutal and dirty.
The PF badly want to stay in power. But their end will be terrible indeed.
Even UNIP will survive longer than the PF.
Kalaba journalists must always be truthful and impartial. This can not be said for Prime Tv, let me remind you of some fiction films produced by prime tv,1. In western province they produced a movie dubbed ‘8 hours in the forest while dodging and being missed by 1000 bullets’ and this was their TOP NEWS topic for a good week even their expart news analysts took to the top of the hill to shout to the world how evil pf is. Now tell me iwe kalaba,what if something had happened like say HH was involved in a rta on his way from western province ? Was there any iorta of truth in the 1000 missed bullets iwe kalaba. Prime tv’s many thrust of business was regime change, and they went to all length to push this agenda,they painted the Government black 24/7 from 2013 to date but they have…
Indeed it is a sad for a loser like kalaba. Kalaba thought he was bigger than the party.unfortunately he has found out that he is too big for his boots. The man is now a non factor on the political scene. He has been reduced to a mere cry baby. Is his party even registered? Oh before you answer I don’t care. Haha
Only dul1 people such as Harry Kalaba and his cohorts in UPND will miss Prime TV.Basics in Journalism would confirm that reporters have to be factual,objective and only report the truth.Prime TV owner-Mr Shawa was bought by you in opposition to tarnish PF Govt’s image 24/7!!!Daily prime tv news was anti-PF and pro-UPND!!!I guess the real owner of Prime TV was HH while Mr.Shawa was just a face!!PRIME TV ONLY HAS ITSELF TO BLAME!!!Journalists must not take sides but simply report facts without twisting anything!!Majority Zambians are in support of Govnt move over prime tv!!!WE NEED A NEW PRIVATE AND OBJECTIVE TV STATION AND NOT PRO OPPOSITION PRIME TV!!Bye bye pro opposition prime tv!!Zambia’s journalism is pathetic to say the least because these reporters and their editors are easily…
Boss Kaizar Zulu,please advise President Edgar Lungu never to rescind govt decision over prime tv.let it go forever like The Post Newspaper!!!Prime tv was not an objective tv station but a pro opposition tv!!They recruited bantustan journalists across Zambia who forever reported negative stories and opinions from anti govnt creatures such as Chipenzi,Dante,Msoni,etc!!Let prime tv get a licence from HH or Harry Kalaba-period!!
Many of us knew that prime tv’s days are numbered!!
RIP
The closure is a sign of PF bad governance, you don’t expect anything good from these evil men and women. They suppress the press.
So I guess ZNBC should also be shut if bias is the basis for closing a TV station. Mu Zambia kuwaya waya fye. Completely zero leadership. Baishiba fye chilling nokwiba….
It’s not about bias – proper independent media all over the world say it as it is. They reflect questions that the citizenry ask, they investigate claims and seek the truth. Fox news is Republican. CNN bashes Trump from time to time, would they dare ban it? You cannot allow only one kind of flow of information. People need an array of news on what is going on, so they make their judgement of those who lead on their behalf. It’s shocking that some Zambians here can support a regime that has made inroads towards an aspect of clear authoritarianism, the shut down of all independent media – and the furtherance of propaganda and control of what people think through a media like the ZNBC. What’s the difference with all the typical dictator regimes we have known the world over?
If Zambians are not incapable of stopping this type of dictatorship and abuse of power by this dictatorship government of Lungu, how will they be able to stop them from rigging the elections next year? That is the big question we ought to ask ourselves.
This scared Lungu and his minions are strategically closing all the independent and dissenting voices that they think will stand in their way of forcefully retaining power next year.
Last time they closed The Post leading up to the elections which they ended up rigging. This time they have closed Prime TV… notice the trend?
If Zambians don’t act now, forget about kicking these guys out next year!
“With great power comes great responsibility”
The only TV station that promotes one Zambia one nation motto, only on prime TV are assured that you will be taken to mwansabombwe, munilunga, magoye, isoka, lundazi, mpongwe,luangwa, kaoma, serenje in just 1 hour of their news and hear everything going on around the country in different dialects ,unlike this TV station which has only show Noise(pf cadres) and northen news.
Harry Kalaba my young brother whoever advised you to live the PF and flying around the world, enze akunama tyala. Grow up and face reality as a man. Prime TV was behaving like an opposition party. They should have learnt from Fred Mmembe’s experience. Kuja waja, nomba panono ugebe nepakulala. Obewa swanwa.
Mayanda mulenga and saimbwende next time don’t take your children to daily school ,,if you would want them to reason different from you, otherwise it is very dangerous to have dull guys like you.very is nothing wrong prime TV did to PF boss,but it was znbc who is promoting tribalism and all evil things.
Mayanda mulenga and saimbwende next time don’t take your children to daily school ,,if you would want them to reason different from you, otherwise it is very dangerous to have dull guys like you.very is nothing wrong prime TV did to PF boss,but it was znbc who is promoting tribalism and all evil things.
THE ARTICLE IS TOO LONG. COULD NOT FINISH IT.
GOOD RIDDANCE TO PRIME HATRED PREJUDICE ARROGANCE UTTER STUPIDITY AND UNPATRIOTISM
This ka bitter lemon is still throwing tantrums?? Anakuwasha Bushiri ati uzawina, now you are faced with the realities of living in opposition?? Kosa, boyi.
Ba Hk you advise Zambians to come together and do what? You should have come out clear. These are the same persons Shawa totally refused to help by just reminding them to stay safe. You claim to be a true Christian, then be like Jesus by being truthful in your judgement. By the way l was passing by your former constituency office in Bahat and was disappointed. The building!!!!!!!
Harry Kalaba, has said the truth, be sides that, your ZNBC, only allows PFools to to use their platform, and yet Prime TV, carters for all.
Please leave Kalaba alone. 2021, balimukuya no chance for them.
Zambia ‘s PF Government with Edgar Chagwa Lungu as it’s president is a pure Dictatorship regime. This government can not stomach criticism. We all know how this government has abused us in every sector of our human existence as citizens to a very low level of leaving the majority of us impoverished!
Zambia is completely paralyzed under Edgar Lungu. Lungu has made Zambians poorer than he found us in 2015.
Lungu should be voted out in 2021 if Zambians are to remain with a glimpse of hope for a better life beyond 2021.
Say only station we the opposition parties abused and used.
But anything h² touches dies brick and mortarly. Physical and logical. Mental and Emotional.
He is bad news.
How could the station be listening to Mark Simuwe unless it’s h²’s.
Stay away from him.
Treat like a bad egg.
He is like a chewed bad pea nut among a handful of innocent ones.
Zambian news owners use their business for political agenda. Fred Membe of the closed Post and Steve Nyirenda of Muvi TV are 2021 presidential candidates after abusing the media.
Watch this boy Shawa. Soon he will come out of the woods.
No wonder Prime TV hired boys like Mark Simuuwe and his crew to advise Zambian about how to govern the country my foot!!. Where are these boys now? They must rescue former workers using their ‘wisdom’ which they claimed to the nation that they possesed
@ ROKA is being arrogant a crime???