By Venus N Msyani
Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) president Sean Tembo has appealed to all those who might have better eyes than his to share with him any accomplishment of the new dawn administration so far.
Mr. Tembo, the current leading HH administration critic, argues that there is nothing good the new dawn administration has achieved so far. Almost shared president Hakainde Hichilema introduced live radio appearance as one of the accomplishments of the new dawn administration so far to prove Mr. Tembo wrong.
During HH first live radio appearance on Phoenix FM on October 13th people were given the opportunity to ask him questions. Even questions that seemed to put the president in the fix were accommodated.
Because of that, the program proved to be a component of freedom of expression. Something the new dawn administration could boast of if it weren’t for emerged attacks on the critics.
For the past few weeks, there have been continued reports on attacks and arrests of people criticizing president Hakainde and his administration.
December 4, 2021, LT Rural News: UPND cadres storm Mpika FM radio station, order a stop to a programme featuring PF MP.
December 15, 2021, LT Headlines: Nakachinda Arrested for Defamation of the President as UPND cadres storm Police Station and Stone PF members.
January 13, 2022, LT Feature Politics: UPND Youths warn PF members against attacking president Hichilema.
January 13, 2022, LT Feature Politics: Zambia Police Arrest and Charge Nakachinda for Defamation of the President Again.
These put a question mark on the claims that freedom of expression has been restored in the country.
On the other side, it is very possible that HH has abandoned appearing on live radio. Answers on promises and free education during his first live radio appearance on Phoenix FM on October 13th generated a lot of comments from the public. Questioning the president’s sincerity.
Because of that, the president might have been advised to stop appearing on the program. The list above gives a hint that media is making effort to approach HH for another live radio appearance. He would have appeared already if the program was still on the table.
Even if the president decides to appear again to prove the author wrong, his second appearance won’t have the same taste like the first appearance. Reported attacks and arrests on people defaming the president will have negative influence on future live radio appearance. Public will be scared to ask questions they feel would hurt cadres.
That is not freedom of expression. Is Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader Sean Tembo right? Have failed to prove him wrong.
Ukubika amatako panshi is very important.
Iwe, the poor soul of baal has now ruthlessly turned against social media and the media in general. Yesterday he swung and attacked the media freedom. He doesn’t do what he preaches. He has double standards and no one should take him serious considering the foregoing.
In baal’s kingdom, there is no freedom of expression. Ni beans iwe. Zeris no.
@ 2 This Thorn in the flesh. You are twisting the facts to suit your personal agenda. It is this freedom of expression abuse which the other concerned people are talking about. HH never attacked the media. He cautioned the media against being used by thugs.
Target your criticism with civility. Insults indicate bitterness, annoyance, arrogance, lack of substance. We can do better!
The Police are just doing their job without any government influence, unlike the way it was in the Ubomba Mwibala alya mwibala regime
You can’t go from absolutely no freedom of expression to western style freedom of expression in less than 8 months……….
Old habits and PF indoctrinations die hard……
As for ST , he has archived nothing in the public space and is just a SM chancer who would not be given any airtime in a serious country…………
The only achievement is air miles. He just travels like a mad man
Sean Tembo is just useless as fak.
I cannot agree with you more, especially looking back to how the UPND in opposition criticized the PF and called them names. Now it is beginning to look like the UPND in power is allergic to criticism and becoming more intolerant by the day. On instigation of opposition UPND leader HH, for instance, Guy Scott was called “Muzungu Wopusa”. Whilst addressing his cadres in Livingstone, opposition UPND leader HH, in response to Guy Scott remarks on UPND being a regional party, used a racist slur against Dr. Scott when he referred to him as ” one of those we call Nkumba (a pig) in Lusaka”. Former Vice-President, Inonge Wina, was called the “old hen” by UPND cadres. President Lungu was called ” Lazy Bum” or “Chakolwa”. In the Bemba language, “Chakolwa” refers to that person who is not only a…
… drunkard but also misbehaves like insulting others when he is drunk. Late President Michael Sata was called “Chimbwi No Plan” and “a man who walked about with a urine bag”. When all these things were said against former PF leaders, there was nothing wrong for UPND leaders and their cadres. Now that HH and fellow UPND leaders are told by Raphael Nakachinda “tekeni amatako panshi” or take it easy and attend to the high cost of living in the country, this becomes wrong. Since the UPND leaders and their cadres have been given a bitter taste of their own medicine, they want to make exceptions for themselves in terms of what should be said to UPND leaders when this is exactly how they treated PF leaders. One just wonders whether freedom of expression began and ended with the UPND in…
… opposition. With the UPND now in power, we are being made to think that they are beyond reproach and no one should dare criticize them. What kind of hypocrisy is this, especially when UPND praise singers lie to us through their teeth by telling us that freedom of expression has been restored under the UPND government?
Go to certain former ZCCM club to confirm if freedoms have been restored… here even leaving the TV room during znbc news time is an offense. In a nutshell, things are bad when in Opposition, the same things are okay when you are in power.
No truth in the world, as Lucky Dube would say.
Mr. Useless author. There is a difference between between constructive citric and full disrespect. Lubinda is an example of it. The office of President must be respected. HH meant freedom of speech in a respectful manner not to be abused like Nackinda or whatever his name has been doing.
You cant go the whole compound insulting the people in the name of freedom of expression. You will be beaten for sure. Even ba cakolwa timamenya nditu if they are insulting people without a normal cause.
N LESS THAN 5 MONTHS IN OFFICE, THIS IS WHAT PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA HAS DONE!
1. Paying off all the 15,000 TAZARA workers which the PF government failed to do in 10 years time.
2. Paying off all the 128,000 pensioners which the PF government failed to do in 10 years time
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3. Paying off all the 34,000 council workers who were not receiving salary every month which the PF government failed to do in 10 years time.
4. Paying off all the 258,000 farmers who supplied maize to F.R.A
5. Releasing the money for equalization fund for 2021 for all the 116 councils countrywide which the PF government failed to do.
6. Releasing of the 2021 CDF for all the 156 constituencies which the PF government failed to do in 7 years under President.
7. Freedom of…
7. Freedom of expression is there for anyone to see
8. Freedom of movement is there for anyone to see
9. The freedom of assembly the PF is enjoying today
10. No public order act to victimize anyone
11. Media freedom is there for anyone to see
12. Separation of powers is given to the three organs of government
13. No cadrism in the markets and bus stations
14. No police brutality
15. Cabinet has been reduced
16. Presidential entourage has been reduced by more that 90%
17. Recovery of stolen national asserts and monies are underway
18. Unification of the country is 100% implemented
19. Negotiations over Zambia’s debt servicing default are things of the past
20. Political party members can now put on their party regalias without fall victims
21. Free…
21. Free Education from Grade 1 to 12.
The list is endless.
All these have been implemented in 4 months time. What more in 5 years? Bane Bally means well for all Zambians!!
Rule of man has no place for freedom of speech. Sad, we are experiencing the rule of man now.
Critics will always be responded to, negative or positive. Even all the former governments used to respond to criticism
The UPND doesn’t take criticism well. Its not a new thing the only new thing is there are now in power… They are the author of the new violence culture found in Zambian politics. Remember that the UPND victory was not 100% about million voted PF therefore allow opposition expression with intimidation. Sean speaks for many. Like it or not
#18 Alibaba…Free education? Just wait until schools descend into ghettos. The money allocated to schools is what we call small change. If you honest just contact anyone from the education for the truth. All those listed in your litany are not out of the ordinary…. ask yourself why Tazara workers should always be paid in arears?
Let us be honest here. We need to reflect on the past to appreciate the present and the future.
1. I never heard Sean criticize PF after the beating he got. Now he is on the new all the time – that is certainly Freedom.
2. Look at how many people are writing and criticizing the President and the party. Never heard of under PF.
3. I saw people walking freely with full PF regalia and no problems.
4. The Author mentions violence – how many cases compared to before – it is not perfect but getting better.
5. On Nakachinda yes there is a problem but is it HH?. It is the IG and the police who still have not changed their mindset. The IG is a big mistake and must rope the police in and guide them better. HH is probably frustrated.
So yes there is more Freedom, not perfect but certainly…
ALIBABA @16, 17 & 18, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT LSIT OF BALLY’S ACHIEVEMENTS. REPEAT IT OFTEN WITH NEW ADDITIONS. SEND A COPY T KAIZER AND SEAN TOMBE FOR THEIR ATTENTION.
ZAMBIANS REMEMBER THE SAYING ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN ONE DAY.
Achievement of UPND in just six months include the following:-
1 Fulfilment of One Land and One Nation as our cry – One Zambia One Nation
12. Separation of powers is given to the three organs of government
13. No cadrism in the markets and bus stations
14. No police brutality
15. Cabinet has been reduced
16. Presidential entourage has been reduced by more that 90%
17. Recovery of stolen national asserts and monies are underway
18. Unification of the country is 100% implemented
19. Negotiations over Zambia’s debt servicing default are things of the past
20. Political party members can now put on their party regalias without falling victims to any party cadres
When you have a nation whose understanding of civility in freedom of speech (expression using mouth) is below average either when dissenting or concurring the limited choice of vocabulary opting for gutter choices defines a lot about the general status of the community! The critics are good at derogatory discourse mostly irrelevant to the central vexing issue needing discussion. Talking loudly and wanting to be seen as one fearless at attacking the presidency is taken as civility yet a revelation that the principles of civility in thrashing out divergent views had bypassed their upbringing!
@BETTER MUST COME
Thanks man. However, this is not my list, I copied from Zambian watch dog. Thanks also to the writer, It is a fantastic list which deserves to be seen by PF crooks who had spent the last ten years siphoning money from government for their benefit. Instead of paying pensioners and other venerable Zambians, they would rather pay their concubines.