The Post Newspaper has apologised to two MMD senior officials for misrepresentation of facts in a story attributed to them in a Saturday edition of the paper.
This is according to a letter by Post Newspapers Managing Editor, Amos Malupenga to MMD Chairman for Trade and Commerce Sebastian Kopulande and Lusaka Central Constituency Chairman Elias Mpondela.
In the letter obtained by ZNBC, Mr. Malupenga says there was no malice intended on the part of the newspaper.
He said the report was purely out of sheer negligence on the part of the Journalist who was tasked to monitor the programme.
Mr Malupenga also said the newspaper has taken action against the Journalist who wrote the story.
And both Mr. Kopulande and Mr. Mpondela have confirmed receiving the apology letters.
Mr. Kopulande said he is satisfied with the apology in which the tabloid admits a wrong and has taken action to avoid a repeat of the same.
Mr. Mpondela described the apology as genuine because the paper corrected the mix-up in its Sunday edition.
/ZNBC/NEWS
So the ruling party and it’s government relies on ‘Tabloids’ for information?
Lord have mercy on Zambia!
They don’t rely on the “Tabloids” but they too, like anybody else, obtain obtain part of their information from the tabloid. If they didn’t do that then they will again be condemned that they are not a listening Govt. Most ordinary people have no medium for communicating to Govt but they can easily do so through tabloid articles. They must read the tabloid like every average Zambian (they are not aliens from outerspace).
They are just disorganised. The correction of article was done before suspension so indeed they just depend on tabloid and their way of doing things is like kids doing tit for tat.
Ba general… So what you are basically justifying is that Mpondela and Kopulande could’ve been shot by the firing squard all because you read in a tabloid that they were planning a coup? And for fear that people would see you as weak and not acting? This is crazy… I pray to the almighty that Monica you are employing is just for play on this blog..
Fellow bloggers… Government had access to Mpondela and Kopande… Why didn’t they call them in to exculpate themselves before pulling the trigger? To me personally and also agreeing with many reasonable blogers, government is disorganized and in a mess.
In fact MMD did communicate to Kopulande and Mpondela. But they were attributed to have made very negative comments about their own party by the Post. The Post was threatened with a law suit if they did not retract. What has happened is the right turn of events. What about you. Do you think a newspaper should just be printing malice about one person even if Lusaka and Copperbelt did not vote for him.
Then why did they suspend the dual if the government and yourself know that the post spread malice as you put it. If they spoke to the two, why did they go ahead to suspend them, most especially government know that anything out of the post is nonsense. Am glad and I thank God I have an independent mind and not gullible by the ruling government of the day like some of you. Just sit back analyze the situation give credit and credit only where its due and that sums up myself. Anyway gents am in office… Where I am, is not like zed where you have govt workers not doing their jobs and busy on the internet and later on get paid for doing noting. I shall respond to your reply at my earliest…
So the paper wrote a fake story…shame on the post newspaper. The post is usually adamant so for the them to budge like this is a big deal. The only thing is that i have not yet heard what the duo actually said on “let the people talk.”
Ngangu, I am not justifying the wrong firing of Elias and Kopu. Truly these two would have been called to exculpate themselves but we all know that in such cases no one admits guilty. Remember VJ in Congo when late Patrick fired him. VJ todate is not pleading guilty and we do not know who is wrong or right. The same was true with our honourable Pastor Nevers – he never admitted of being guilty, so once again we doubt and never know who is on the right. The party organs have powers to discuss and decide the fate of members especially when you discuss party matters with the press and you are not a party spokesperson..
General you are right, journalist should be careful when reporting stories. It is said the pen can build and destroy at the same time
[-o<
Brotherly spirit ,the way to go .Admit /acknowledge mistakes and stand your ground when correct.
Post this is how it should be. Continue with this spirit, when you have erred you have to acknowledge the wrong.
one saddening thing is that the POST seems to have departed from their original concept of objective roporting to malice.the founding journalists like jowie mwiinga,chris chitanda,dingi chirwa and the like were indeed brilliant guys who cultivated immerse respect for the post which is now been eroded by the recruits who anchor news for the post now.the path of the post now is to report with intention to harm.and there stories now are more based on hearsays.always quoting the same characters especially the bitter sata.the situation of finding themselvs in the ZA debt despite being a business matter should raise enough questions about the vision of the people headind this vibrant…
zo ona ulikapondo, i hope you understand what it means to apologize, the post is not the first tabloid to present or report errenous information but znbc, times and daily have many times even before the post was born done this and we are used
My friend every paper in the world has made a mistake at one time or another and the best way to go about it is to appologise to the people offended, and thats what the post has done..and any reasonable person who surely forgive them……its just sand that DBZ wants to grab their property, this simply means no more balanced news in zambia…God help us on this one.
The mistake could also mean that people are so disappointed with MMD that instead of translating good news as it is, one unconsciously writes the bad things because thats what suits them….. my opinion
Don’t you understand that the post is only concerned with bringing Rupiah down. They have found an audience in people like you who think that journalism should be about writing editorials about one person – Rupiah Banda. Rupiah won the election even if by a small margin of 35,000 votes. He won according to our constitution and we can not turn him into an enemy for that. The Post did not support Rupia for reasons you know. They have not accepted that he won and want to bring him down using bitter people like you.
taiwaishiba ndikapondo uchili ulatwishika.i know what kind of a person you are.with you if the POST were selling prepacked feaces you can buy.well wrapped in atttrctive foil paper like vanilla biscuit.it’s a common practise for the tablods or other related newspapers to apologise when they misquote a source but what me and other upright thinkers are saying is that the post are doing it with intent just to bring down rupiah banda.this .so as much as RB can be critized for leadership failure fine. it’s a sin to prop up a dangerous man like sata which they know
one saddening thing is that the POST seems to have departed from their original concept of objective roporting to malice.the founding journalists like jowie mwiinga,chris chitanda,dingi chirwa and the like were indeed brilliant guys who cultivated immerse respect for the post which is now been eroded by the recruits who anchor news for the post now.the path of the post now is to report with intention to harm.and there stories now are more based on hearsays.always quoting the same characters especially the bitter sata.the situation of finding themselvs in the ZA debt despite being a business matter should raise enough questions about the vision of the people headind this vibrant…
Yes, I hope this apology will facilitate a more holistic review of their journalistic practices. They seem to have lost direction due to what seem to be personal financial interests. The Post has been a crucial watchdog over government, but with freedom of speech comes journalistic responsibility, which it seems to have overlooked since RB contested the last election. They u-turned on their pledge to never report anything about Sata, to exaggerating his national popularity in the run-up to the election, while engaging in the most petty and unnecessary editorials which said nothing of substance about Rupiah’s ability to lead, but seemed to be desparate attempts to get Magande into power.
One thing i dont understand is why those people who feel agrieved who complain about being insulted by The Post not taking action by suing. Everyone is protected by the law and no one is above it. The minute you sit back and take a lashing at the so called insults in my view means your acceptance to them.The local courts today are filled with cases of insulting each other,defamation, acusing each othe of withcraft etc and justice is being served. Instead of complaining about The Post day in and day out those agrieved should take action. Its also amazing to see that those are agrieved are the first to buy and read The Post.The Post has shown profssionalism in aplogising.Big up Post newspaper
It is difficult for a public person to sue if a newspaper calls you a vain and proud man with no principles. Because this is called a mere opinion. It has called Rupia a man who is insecure with no direction or ideas and who will lead Zambia to destruction. They have said they believe he is a danger to Zambia. Do you think he can sue and secure aconviction for that . It is just an opinion. But the Post knows that if they say this many times Zambians will begin to believe it and they have succeded.
Suing them is giving them exactly what they want. The subject of their provocations cannot win either way – if he doesn’t do anything about them, he looks to you as if he accepts them. If he sues for defamation, he is accused by the public for stifling freedom of speech, and which turn raises suspicions as to ‘what he is trying to hide’ *sigh* I personally believe that the Post has exploited its influence to cause unnecessary tension and divisions in society for what appear to be desperate means to preserve their financial interests. They could have expressed their displeasure with RB in more professional ways, instead of hurling groundless insults which just reeked of hate and…
This is proof the MMD relies on the Post for news. How else would they have fired Kopu and Mponde on Post stories alone. Maybe next time M’Membe should write that Teta slums Banda’s “kayopering” mentality and holds dark corner meetings with Magande. You will see how quick they will show the nyamzai the way to the sewage.
Ur right..it seems MMDs world revolves around The Post newspaper
HAHAHA mwanisekesa ba Duke. I think u r right
Please do’t call people Nyamazai. Let us keep some respect for each other. I know the Post has destroyed the respect we had for other. The government is responsible for this turn because of having one influential private paper. They should have privatised the Daily mail so that Zambians have a different opinion on issues.
Even those complaining to the tribunal base their complaints on the post’s kachepa
We trust you. Without you, Zed would have been something else. Continue with your good work
Well ,i congratulate the post for the professionalism and maturity they have shown. keep it up!
Guys did see on zamnet news that DBZ is about to grab post newspaper’s properties.
Well do you intend to pay for them. They are a business you know. If the POst were to go down another investor will set up a paper because a market is there.
What just is the problem with Zambian thinking. Everyone takes the Post as darlings until they are insulted too. Make no mistake, the post have been doing a great job in exposing scams and you can not take that from them. You cant imagine where this country would be without them. But what people like me are saying is that, just like any other human being, M’embe errors. I was one ardent supporter of M`embe and no one could convince me anything against him until last year’s elections when he started insulting RB and reproducing pictures from different campaigns just to hoodwink people into believing SATA was popular. A claim the post admitted at one point.
Too much circus is Zambia. A government being monitored by a tabloid Newspaper. Keep them in check. What a shame. I have no guts today to comment fully on this nonsense. Leadership in Zambia is embarrassing.
You may be right, but I would like to hear your suggestion of a leader who would not be embarrassing. The fact is that in a democracy we will always have our own opinions. But we should respect elections even when we don’t liket the winner. It prevents us from becoming another Madagascar where a mob has put a Disc Jockey in State House and after two years the same mobs will be back to chase him out.
LETS HOPE LT U’R NOT THE POST AS WELL, AM NOW NOT CONFOTABLE WITH OUR e-MAILS U COLLECT. WITH THIS CURRENT SITU
The Mwine
You should be more worried about your computer telling L.T the name you typed into your computer on day one.
Username or Computer name
System type…E.G windows or linux type.
Try to cover your I.P by using proxy servers.
Wow!
You can actually type in a fake email addy like i will do right now
BA MALUPENGA muletekanya tata imwe na bantu benu……….mukalubulula pofye.
Viva Post
the moment u see the post reorting positively about the govt, just know that they are begging for favours or have got a favour
ilyoshi
The Post is professional. It reports news and not praises. The Post are not praise singers. If you wants praises, go to ZNBC, Times and Daily Mail. The Post reports serious issues. Mind you, you need to know your leaders, their thought processes, their habits no matter how embarassing these are. The post will do that without fear or favour. Be mindful also that an opinion is an opinion. Even opinions published on this site are opinions. Every individual, person or corporate are entitled to their opinions. So don’t demonise The Post. We love them. I am looking forward to hear an apology from RB over his statements on NG’andu Magande just as The Post have done on Kopulande and Mpondela
This is a kind of the Press that we expect to let the people know the truth and also ready to apologise on misinformation.
You can certainly see your skills within the work you write. The sector hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. Always follow your heart.