GOVERNMENT says President Sata’s decision to open a Facebook page is an excellent move which will make him share more information than he can through press conferences.
Acting chief Government spokesperson Fackson Shamenda said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Zambians have been crying out to President Sata to hold press conferences but he has opted to join Facebook for him to share more information and be in touch with citizens at all times.
Mr Shamenda, who is Minister of Labour and Social Security, said that President Sata wants to interact with all Zambians and the opening of a Facebook page is one way of sharing information with the citizens.
On Friday, President Sata opened a Facebook page which saw him have more than 9,500 likes in six hours. By yesterday, the number had risen to over 20,000.
“The President has his own way of doing things which all Zambians must appreciate. The decision to join Facebook is an excellent move by the boss because what he has done and the information which will be found on his page is more than holding press conferences people have been crying out for,” Mr Shamenda said.
He said President Sata has decided to join Facebook because he means well for Zambia and he should be supported by all well-meaning citizens.
Mr Shamenda said the President is doing things systematically because he cannot do everything at the same time.
And Patriotic Front (PF) Lusaka youth chairperson Kennedy Kamba said in a separate interview that President Sata’s decision is welcome because it will help him interact with Zambians of all ages.
Mr Kamba said Facebook will help the citizens present their grievances directly to President Sata and at the same time help the President exchange his ideas with Zambians.
He said Zambians want to talk to the head of State but they do not have access to him but now they will be able to do so through Facebook.
“This is a very good move by the President and as Lusaka Province youths we are in support of his decision,” Mr Kamba said.
He said ministers should emulate President Sata in communicating through Facebook.
“Our challenge goes to Cabinet ministers who are not on Facebook to emulate President Sata and join the social media,” he said.
Mr Kamba said Facebook will help the ministers to communicate with the people in their constituencies while they are conducting government duties in Lusaka.
He said, however, that citizens should not use President Sata’s Facebook page to insult him but use it to air their grievances to help him govern the country for the betterment of all.
“Let’s take this opportunity to appeal to the opposition parties and citizens who are bent on insulting the President and Government not to use this well-intended move to demean him. Let’s all unite and use his Facebook page to share with him our problems and successes as well,” Mr Kamba said.
The facebook Forum is more deadly than Press conference, coz they are invisible journalist on facebook who ask uncensored questions.
Mukose shikulu avoid choo chise, facebook yama BP
Rubb!sh reasoning – no wonder as a country it will keep be ruled by morons and retards.
vi ndevu vili white 100%, wisdom 0. how does a grown man like you liken those 2, some people are paid to support, we already know this,.
Imagine….. a Government and Country run on Facebook…….. only in Zambia!!
Fred Mmembe is quite creative.
Eish! Making the whole government look like string puppets?!
this is certainly stupidity to think that facebook is better than press conferences. how many people are on facebook compared to the number of people who would listen to the press conference. when 1diots are running the show, the results are only seen by the actors themselves
Exactly what we said except instead of Gay scot it is SHAME NDA.
How do you run a country on FB hahahahahah
F…… son what a nice way for keeping your senile boss from the public. You will not hide him for long. Ubufi has finally caught up with your gang of thieves
I actually agree on one thing that loads of people can directly ask questions and offer suggestions without holding back, my only concern is how he will handle such a massive follow up and if at all he himself will actually be available or read each and every feed! Otherwise, a press confrence is more important for other reasons and purposes!
Folks
I have checked the net to find Sata ‘s face book, only three of them came up and out of three only one has about 3000 likes. I am wondering where these 20000 likes which Shame Menda is on about have come from.
If you know know the new one please provide a link so I can confirm Shame Menda ‘s statement.
Wanzelu go with the link that is on the Post on line
I sent a request to him why has he not added me 🙁
Thanks
Hey, have taken it down already? I can’t see it. Is the FB page genuine?
Being as popular as the PF zealots are saying ,Sata’s FB is supposed to pop up on Google with a single keystroke.
Shamenda is an *****, how many Zambians have access to the internet
How many Zambians have internet and how do you reach my mother who has never touched a computer despite being well educated.
For as long as we have shot sited leaders like this, there is no way forward
What makes me most sick about PF is their arrogance.
Is this the answer the government can give?
Poor Fools too stupid to do simple arithmetic!
13,000,000 Zambians. 20,000 likes. = 12,980,000 people need information
The move is welcome, we just hope he will start listening to people’s concerns and address them. Also Mr. president do not be addicted to face book but do your job you were voted for.
It won’t be the president interacting or answering but chella&post . Skype is best.
WITH FACEBOOK, DO WE NEED A MINISTRY OF INFORMATION?
No wonder the labour movement is in a such a mess ,look at the former ZCTU president ,just malabishi of a Shamende.Try to talk sense at times Shamende.Why do you expose your dullness like this?Anyway ,you ar pleasing your appointing authority ,Fred the cartel leader!
There is a difference between arrogance and ignorance and it is a pity PF behaves like a colonial gov´t. Whatever goes around comes around…long time you should have known that but you are a paya family gang.
Joyce Banda, president of Malawi is on Facebook, but she holds regular press conferences. Poor excuse PF. Try another one.
so does Obama who is on twitter
How many Zambian’s have access to computers???? Compared with the number of Zambians with access to radio – ifya kwikatila ku muchila, kuti ba kunela pamenso!
These are the numbers I found (thanks, Google!).
Number of radio receivers per 1,000 people = 133.1
Newspaper circulation per 1,000 people = 56.5
Number of televisions per 1,000 people = 28.4
Number of computers per 1,000 people = 7.2
Internet access per 1,000 people = 2.0
“Kuti ba kunyela pamenso!”
He wants to share more information on facebook and yet he has failed to interact with the electorate face to face by holding a press conference where he can be asked question directly. You bet he is scared people will see he is not just erratic but clearly senile (mad). Looking at the letter he wrote to HH and the recent transfer of Ng’andu Bwalya thrice inside of three days, Sata is mad and if he holds a press conference, people will clearly see the madness exposed.
Dangerous combination of ignorance and dullness on display.
facebook is not as accesible as radio or tv sir,think of our bros and sisters in vilages and who are using nokia 5110.it may take 30mins to answer all important questions through pres conference and 5 yrs to answer the same questions through fb since more questions wil come at diferent times and from diferent people.fb on the other hand may help to bring you down from the top as the joining of sata makes it more popular.sata has no advisers.
PF reasoning is so cayotic
@ Them
Kutwangasha uku! Facebook Conference. Ba Shamenda naemwe muli” CHIPUBA”
Press conference is vital to governance , just choose which media house to Invite..further carefully select who asks questions..this silence not Heathy my president.
Please my fellow country me and women,ignore Shamenda he is a mental petient who should seek medical attention at Chainama before the illness gets worse.
Sorry, we already have the safe LT, ZWD to air our views without intimidation. We won’t go into that trap. George Chellah and his boys will use alone.
Hahahaha Zambia’s are stupidd people and will think Sata is genuinely considering them with this FB thing. The old man is simply being shielded by his handlers. Sata is sounding more intelligent than ever on FB. I wonder who is typing the Statuses, his wife?
Did you see how almost everyone is praising Sata on that page? Made me think someone is deleting staff that doesn’t support the presido. To be honest , I was put off.
Same here Tisa. All that praise made me feel like vomiting. It was surreal.
the idea is good but am just worried with the volumes of messages, him being a busy man how he would cope. we r talking about 20,000 already in less than a week. i like it
Rubbish! Useless reasoning!
Hopeless cadre, coz I don’t think even a diehard like Osmore can support this nonsense.
It was said that Uhuru Kenyatta the accused ICC suspect was to run Kenya via skype from The Hague but its worse that Sata will be running GRZ on facebook from the bed.
This is CIRCUS of 2014. SATA cannever blog, let alone does not even know how to use FB,the whole Page will be showered with insults and believe you me few days from Now shall close the facility.
Face book cant replace press conference you foolish Shamenda.
I hear George Chellah is recruiting bloggers.
I have no job challah please recruit me.Get me on 096832000001
When Chinyama is also against a statement from PF, then you really know things are not good.
Wow! Shamenda, just when we thought you’d outdone yourself on the ***** marathon you’re on with your last statement, you still manage to top yourself???? That level of s.tupidity bespeaks a rare talent my good man!
I hear George Chellar is recruiting bloggers.
I have no job please hire me.
Shamenda is a runatic.
Do we have barber shops in Lusaka??
Please escort shamenda to go have his shave.
How did this dull chap find himself in government??
FACEBOOK NI DOWN.CONGRATS BA
KATEKA WESU.
Kamba, You are also dull. Facebook page sure out of all things which can even be hacked by my 8 Year old nephew. What is the President running away from. Voonela Kuukulu. This is 21st Century not 19th Federal were you used Telegram.
Stupid fools who don’t know that face book is more dangerous to office of the presidency. Facebook is personal social web for personal issues not to communication national issues; and what about the millions of Zambians who are not one facebook where will they find the information they much desire?
Ati president sata has opened a Facebook page,my foot!.Zambians never cease to amaze me.Data has no time for fb,all this is simply one of pf’s madness and failure to govern the country.BELIEVE ME YOU WILL NEVER MEET SATA ON FACEBOOK,ONLY HIS HANDLERS GOERGE CHELLA AND FRED IMMENSE WILL BE ANSWERING YOUR CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS. SATA HAS NO TIME FOR YOUR RUBBISH ON FB.ANYWAY,FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES TO CHEAP LIES OF PF LET THEM BELIEVE THIS CRAP,NOT ME AM ALREADY SAVED FROM SATA’s lies
This is stupidity at its best! Zambia is being ruled by lunatics, morons shame:( Am one of the people that voted Pf into govt and I regret big time! This is total rubbish, am still in shock!
This is a bizarre turn of events…I thought they wanted to keep everyone out of Facebook because of Watchdog!
How many pipo have access to fb in the Rural Zambia
It is madness for politicians to assume that most Zambian have access to internet and face book. I hope those in power will realise that Zambians are not only those who have access to internet BUT also our peasant farmers, vendors etc who want to hear the country’s policy direction.
In Zambia you can access face book without internet.( on cell phones) The only difference is that you cant see pictures for others. Hence, nothing special concerning Chilufya Sata`s page.
Just when you think PF has exhausted all possible f00lishness and hit rock bottom, they invent new ones. Soon they will make a u-turn and close the PB page.
Are we playing social now as a country to be ruled through fb? How can the whole president only wake up now and say he wants to address us through such a social medium? Has he just completed his course on how to use fb now, in what Hameenda calls “systematic’ approach – when the president was learning for two years? Do we all scramble for his fb page to hear what the prsident says sure? Awe mwe, ndadabwa!
is sata serious or just joking????…..we need him to address the nation on a lot of issues and not only on facebook!!!!mr.president be serious with your working and stop foolishing yourself pliz!!
The facebook account is managed by zome crazy proxies like membe.
Those calling for a press conference are just missing drinking mineral water.
Remember campaign period is coming. How will he managed to campaign knowing that is going to stand in 2016. His enemies are not in oppositions but within his advisors and ministers . Its the same shamenda who caused problems to nurses when he said needs time to resolve the issue but he asked them to go back to work which nurses heard and followed, but he turned round and changed completely and we saw nurses fired. Mr. President double check your minister’s statements and make correction where necessary for them interest of poor Zambian . You need both FB and press conference.
The next eurobond will enable the govt to buy laptops for every Zambian. And Mr Sa-ta will campaign peacefully from his bed via Facebook. Boma ni boma
Utter bollocks!!
Hon. Shamenda, please just say the current administration prefers Facebook to Press conferences. We happen to be mature people. The fact that we are not Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, party cadres etc does not mean we are intellectually empty please. We know the difference between Facebook and other forms of interactive communication. Some of us have respect for our President and the government but issuing suchmocking statements. We would have loved to interact with our President in both good and bad times.
I meant “Some of us have respect for our President and the government but issuing such mocking statements makes us very sad indeed”.
Nothing odd and nothing wrong with any person being on facebook,Mr Sata inclusive.Infact a number of presidents are on facebook,e.g. the Malawian,South African,even Obama used fb to win elections.Besides, the majority of the youth are connecting using this medium.Bridging the generation gap this way is a brilliant notion but then it has to be balanced with appeal to the older generation still used to the old way of doing things.On press conferences,it would do to have once in a while the face of the head of state addressing the nation.People appreciate being addressed physically on some important matters. It after all makes all the difference to physically see and hear a person speak to you than otherwise.
Artist, lad, the issue is not about it being bad that sata is on facebook, no! the issue is substituting interacting with your citizens through press conferences with Facebook!!! All those presidents you have mentioned hold press conferences but maintain FB accounts as a means of continuous updates. Whether you like it or not, your president and his cabinet are dunderheads! Period!
I think this Tonga times they have a lot fools and backwards comments. All the above comments are from fools and they will never achieve any thing and HH will never win an election un less if animals were allowed to vote in 2016
fusekeni naimwe, do you know how boring you sound? The fact that you always rush kuli HH even when he is not mentioned anywhere means you are terrified of him. If he was not a factor, you wouldn’t even bother with him not so ba EK? you’re sh!tting your pants coz you know wats coming mu 2016 and you only rant like this to convince yourself that !diot sata and his bunch of nincompoops will still be in power after 2016. hahahahahahahaha! I just crack myself up, ati ‘and his bunch of nincompoops…’
This man only knew there was facebook when Sata’s profile was created. Bana belenga mu post
There is nothing wrong have a facebook account, but suggesting that facebook replaces press conference is unacceptable in a developed society, rather, we need a press conference once in a month and twelve times in a year, all being well that should be made into law.
The statement by Shamenda confirms that there is high mediocrity in the PF government. How can Fb replace press conferences? We are not going to develop if we allow such leaders with very simple minds to rule us. It is only a simple-minded person who can utter what Shamenda uttered. There is no way press conferences can be replaced. It is thru the press conferences that we determine the president’s ability to analyse issues. Any president must have the ability to answer questions from the press. All what is on Sata’s fb page is written for him; one wonders whether he is even aware that there is a fb page in his name. The PF government is very trivial. Facebook or no facebook, we know what to do; we shall by all means ensure that the PF are removed from power. They have caused damage.
Does this mean that HEMCS will run the country from a facebook page?
Mr Minister this is a social media site, you cannot compare it to a Press Conference.
Zambia deserves better than this. Where are these people from?
Shamenda is not only filthy but dull. This shameless bootlicker cannot tell Sata it is wrong to run the country using Facebook for fear of losing his bread. This F-Man is in politics just to satisfy his belly.
This is the most absurd statement coming from a minister of information. How do you account for the millions of Zambians who have no access to internet or for that matter the majority who are computer (or otherwise) illiterate? Is the president not confident or competent enough to face the people? You should not run for public office if you don’t want to answer face to face questions. Facebook is good, but it should not be the primary tool for communicating national matters to the Zambian. Have some respect for the people.
Am very much disappointed u shamenda an old person lik u lacking wisdom nd supporting such idea. Its high time sir u use yo head to think, don’t use emotion. Yo regime has totally failed us. How do we know that Sata is the 1 answering those questions? Let him came openly and answer questions
stupid useful *****.. who told him press conferences can be replced by face book blog…
This just goes to show the level of mediocrity in this Govt , honestly how can one give such a justification for the use of FB over press conferences. The president need to address critical national issues by engaging the nation through press conferences not from a computer monitor. Can someone tell me please, which country in the world has used this forum (FB) to govern, am shocked, the president just need to come out of hibernation and face the nation and not to continue cowering in State house, for how long? FB is a social media and not a governing tool imwe ba president please.
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