Thursday, March 28, 2024

UPND Accuse PF of Using ZESCO to Switch off Power at Radio Stations Scheduled to Feature HH

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United Party for National Development (UPND) has described as the cutting of power at Kariba Radio station prior to the party president Hakainde Hichilema’s scheduled appearance yesterday morning.

In a statement made to the media, the party accused ZESCO of colluding with the ruling party to curtail the voices of those with dissenting views. The party wondered why PF has resorted to using institutions such as Zesco to switch off power each time they hear that HH is on the radio.

Below is the full Statement

The United Party for National Development (UPND) wishes to condemn in no uncertain terms the power blackout that occurred at Kariba Radio station prior to president Hakainde Hichilema’s scheduled appearance this morning.

First and foremost, what transpired at Kariba FM amounts to an act of sabotage in which the power utility firm seems to have colluded with the ruling PF to curtail the voices of those with dissenting views.

If the PF are as popular as they claim and if it’s true that HH is a regional leader, why is the PF damn scared of Mr Hichilema and have resorted to using institutions such as Zesco to switch off power each time they hear that HH is on radio?

We feel that this act is undemocratic as it denies the general citizenry access to information especially from opinion leaders of HH’s calibre who may want to sell their manifesto and the messages of hope they have to the general citizenry.

Thirdly, the act amounts to an indictment and infringement on the fundamental rights and freedoms of HH as a Zambian which in turn curtails his freedoms of expressions.

It is surprising that this trend has continued to flourish despite strong condemnation from various stakeholders including Government itself following the spate of attacks on media houses across the country recently.

The PF should be reminded that the UPND is in possession of first hand information of how the unfortunate decision was arrived at and they should not tempt us to reveal more.

Therefore, we are demanding that Zesco should not accept to be used by PF as this act amounts to abuse of public office.

Finally, we wish to reiterate our calls for the enactment of the Access to Information Bill (AIB) because the freedom of expression far supercedes the Bill itself because it is embedded in the Republican Constitution.

UPND MEDIA TEAM

27 COMMENTS

  1. JUST LISTENING TO A SONG DONE FOR U BO BALLY.IT IS SAD. THE LAST KICKS OF A DYING HORSE. ONCE,A ZAMBIAN MAKES UP HIS MIND KWASILA.WHAT EVER MEASURES U CAN DO NOTHING EVER MOVES THEM.THEY ARE REALLY TRYING HARD TO MARKET LUNGU BUT THINGS ARE TOUGH& OUT OF CONTROL.RB,HAD IMAGE BUILDERS WHILE SATA HAD THE ZAMBIANS AT HEART. ZAMBIANS CHOOSE SATA LEAVING RB KANINTUNDILA.EVEN ,KK.

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    • The failure by PF is very visible, if they have failed lamentably on the economy side which matters most to all of us, do you expect them to pass on governance, no ways. They will continue with such barbaric, primitive, uncouth, unmannered ways of stalling democracy, in the first place, it would be folly for one to assume that the PF know the meaning of democracy. For them democracy is synonymous with staying in power at all costs even in the face of complete failure to the extent of bringing the country to its knees, how sad

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  2. Cililalila!! Nothing is bad in the country. Zambians are going on with normal businesses and still supporting Edgar.

    UPND is confident in every election. There is never been a time HH has said I am going to lose this election but alalusa bamusepa.

    HH uleumfwa ne insoni mwaice. Losing 6 times you are still standing. It’s only that UPND is a party of 1d1ots and puppets.

    The Labour party leader in UK resigned after making the party lose some seats. Why can’t HH take a leaf from this man. The party has since elected a new leader and they are gaining momentum.

    I will unsubscribe from LT if HH wins elections in 2021.

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  3. HH RECEIVES PRESIDENTIAL WELCOME IN SOUTH AFRICA

    Zambian Freedom Fighter Hakainde Hichilema was yesterday (Thursday) accorded a welcome befitting a seating head of state in South Africa.

    South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reports that the UPND Leader was treated to a thunderous welcome at the Oliver Tambo International Airport in South Africa before being made to inspect a semi guard of honour. More than 125 cameras waited for HH’s arrival at the airport. South Africans have great love and passion for HH as his 127 days persecution under the Zambian Brutal Dictator triggered old apartheid memories where innocent black South Africans were detained for many months.
    UPND leader and his ex co accused were in South Africa for a thorough medical check up after spending 176…

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  4. UPND

    you are now disappointing me. Do you need to be told every thing a big party should know ???

    You are supposed to prepare for this by looking at emergency power supplies like gen sets at these radio stations……you know pf and lungu are desperate.

    You have been warned already to prepare your caders in the use of concealed video recording come 2021…….don’t live to regreate not doing this.

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  5. (HH) who calls himself Bally Matore is still failing to mature from being an Under 5.
    This accusation is so childish and sounds like an illiterate speaking.
    Spaka is even disappointed.
    Spaka (HH) will continue to disappoint you because UPND lacks strategy.

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  6. Soldier On. Aluta continua. Find innovative means to reach the masses. Go on covid 19 awareness campaign and/or driving through towns, without saying anything, while maintaining social distance and masking. Whatever, happens. don’t go silent!

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  7. Guys, I don’t belong to any political party but I can comfortably say that UPND has a better chance this time around…The last couple years Under the PF administration life has been tough for everyone..this election is a repeat version of MMD VS PF….unless the PF rigs the whole thing they are out…this is how Zambian’s operate.

    I have witnessed this for 30 years now….

    UPND hang in there your time is coming…don’t worry about what people say.
    I’m one hundred confident that you will deliver.

    Good luck little thieves…..PF Jele is waiting for you.

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  8. @Dweny: I don’t know what criteria you are using to predict your 2021 outcome but if you follow what’s happening on the ground, upnd are losing grip in Western and N/W and PF seem in charge of their strongholds as witnessed in recent by-elections. Life was better under Mwanawasa’s MMD because of the commodities boom that took our main export to historic $10,000/ton. Then about the PF “thievery”, i think the FTJ debacle has proved to most citizens that corruption is a political strategy those in opposition use against their opponents to get power as no proven case has yielded a conviction. Tell me, are you comfortable with multinationals externalising our wealth freely while we call our leaders corrupt?? Is upnd going to bring corruption to 0%??? In your 30 years witnessing, isn’t…

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  9. …this the familiar MMD vs UNIP and PF vs MMD story over and over?? As long as people realise that politicians are all the same and the real enemy are those ripping us off of our resources, upnd is not necessary as PF are doing their best to correct this situation. Upnd isbeen associated with the same elements that drove MMD to strip our national assets and steal our resources.

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  10. But loadshedding affects everyone. It’s not personal, even school kids use candles for homework.

    What’s really wrong is using the lockdown and pandemic to gain publicity and rouse people negatively. This is a time to work together not politiking.

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  11. We feel that this act is undemocratic as it denies the general citizenry access to information especially from opinion leaders of HH’s calibre who may want to sell their manifesto and the messages of hope they have to the general citizenry.
    …..
    *****s, still selling your A4 paged manifesto to this day!

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  12. I am PF but I can tell you for sure that both Zesco and us have already reached expiry date. If elections were held today, I want to confess that as PF we cant get anything, we are way past our shelf life. Indeed we came to destroy, all the gains made by MMD. The trail of destruction is there for all with objective minds to see. Shame on us

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  13. @ 2Henry, Mate you know nothing about UK politics and you have no right to cheat Zambian people as your PF presidents have cheated. First by Michael Sata that Zambians will have more money in their pockets by stealing and destroying the economy. Then came Edgar Lungu cheating the youths of 500, 000 job creation, youths are still waiting. Should be shameful to be associated with this failure of your government.
    You Henry is now telling a lie to Zambians about UK politics and comparing it with Zambia – We live, trained and work here in UK. You are telling lies that the Labour leader resigned. Its moral dicency of politics of UK and developed countries. None of your presidents are worthy anything other than cheats of Zambian people. This is undisputable truth and we dont have to convince…

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  14. It’s unreasonable for the PF to try and take away Hichilema’s freedom of speech and association through outdated political tactics. You may not like but the fact remains that he’s a Zambian and above all human and therefore deserves to enjoy his rights. Let the people hear him so that they make an informed choice next year. Please stop this non sense

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  15. Crying over spilt milk, HH must learn to move with a genset if he claims he can sort out Zambias problem! Since he now knows, he should be solution oriented than being a complainant!!!!

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  16. Cowards scared of their own shadows you have not seen anything yet when Zambians change you can never reverse it you have taken Zambia like your personal to holder property Zambia is ours and we will never allow you to finish this country through your stealing or sale this country to Chinese never some of us we are ready to die for this country.

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  17. Mr. Hichilema. Do you know Facebook is a very powerful too? If something like this happens, do live videos your message will reach alot of people. And the people will help share your massage.

  18. Sure, sure a person who claims to be a billionaire can fail to purchase a mobile genset? Wakasasa satana uyu ! hh and his set of political nonentities should be proactive not reactive.

  19. UPND, YOU NEED TO BE INNOVATIVE….GO WITH A GENSET TO THE RADIO STATION….JUST 2 HOURS SURE …. PF WILL NOT GIVE POWER ON A SILVER PLATE

  20. Despite Trible HH’s many shortcomings me and my friends are beginning to warm up to Bally for 2021. Anything can only be better than the current crop not so?

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  21. HH don’t worry about the PF trying to block you…change your strategy focus on Facebook…trust me…you won’t go wrong.

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