Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has accused the the Media of failing to come up with self regulatory measures to protect journalists from continued harassment by political party cadres.
Lieutenant General Shikapwasha, who is also Information and broadcasting services minister, said despite the continued attacks for a period of nine years from 2000 to-date, the media has failed to protect its personnel and instead looked upon government.
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha warned that Government will put in place a legal framework in six months period which the media failed in nine years.
The spokesperson said this in Parliament, today, during an oral and answer session in Parliament.
He also gave a ministerial statement on the continued harassment of media personnel by suspected party cadres mainly from the ruling MMD and the Patriotic Front/United Party for National Development (PF/UPND Pact.
He however accused the media practitioners of encouraging violence because of what they publish.
The Minister cited that the genocides in Rwanda were agitated by Journalists from both electronic and print media adding that this should be avoided in Zambia.
ZANIS
Iwe LT! Your Heading, ati shani? Do you ever edit your work LT?
BU..BU…BU…BU….
Just baking! Non-sense in all the talk
ALSO MMD LACKS SELF REGULATION. HOW ABOUT THAT SHIKAS
You found these guys already publishing and writing stuff freelly, and so why the fass. Just be more truthful in your governance and the burden of bad writing will move away from you. If it hurts you then just know that they say correct things about you. Why dont you and GRZ at least for once reason like humans. One day you will be out of this bootlicking job and the same media will be your only tool of survival just like Sata, Miyanda and the rest. These people were at one time just like you, always having trouble with media!!.
Ronie, you do not at all reason like someone who is well vested with military. Military people are more desciplined. Please dont loose your morals over bootlicking for RB. You have more credentials than these people you keep on bootlicking.. Why not just chiill out MEN
Shikapwasha works for govt so what do you expect him to say? However, press freedom should be fought over tooth and nail. Even if you dont like what Mmembe is doing, as long as he is within the law then things should be left as they are.
So, for you Mr. Shikapwasha genocide can only be agitated by journalists. What about what the MMD thugs are doing, that can’t agitated genocide. Even rigging the elections can agitate genocide, just in case you did not know. Infact rigging is worse, just look at what happened in Iraq. Why don’t you politicians want to see that you are the cause of all the problems in zambia. Leave the journalists alone. Now you are looking for someoneto blame. As usual!
What the post wrote about concerning RB’s visit to SA happened after the journalists where attacked on several occasions. People know that your thugs are causing violence in the country. Why should what the post wrote about cause genocide when the attacks or the rigging of elections have not. It’s not even making any sense in…
In other words the pre-Rwandan genocide symptoms are not caused by the post or professional journalists, but by MMD thugs and corrupt and selfish leaders.
On “He also gave a ministerial statement on the continued harassment of media personnel by suspected party cadres mainly from the ruling MMD and the Patriotic Front/United Party for National Development (PF/UPND) Pact“, I am sad that the whole lot ofa LG can say such things when it is clear that only MMD cadres are beating up and harrassing journalists.
The only good thing is that the more the UPND-PF PACT name appears on the GRZ media, the better its appeal to the Zambipublic becomes for under normal previous circumstances news of the opposition was erratic in the MMD GRZ controlled media. Happy Sabbath Day all.
_
1 John 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
Please, please mwebantu.. do not mention the Rwandan genocide …anyone watched the movie Hotel Rwanda?? please avoid such nonsense in peaceful mother Zambia…
Shika, stop this ‘nitwit’ behaviour, its horrendous!!!!!!!!!!!!
ShIkapwasha is brainless even being called general is born out of political appointment and not academic achievements. A general can fly have the knowledge about flying fighter planes but shikapwasha has no crue ask those who know him very well. This is not a false story.
Michelle – Eat, drink and swim a lot (maybe not all at once). Have a wonderful time! It was great seineg you and the pups yesterday! I want to eat my hair it looks so good.April 10, 2009 2:21 pm
Ba Shipwetee……why always talking nonsense man???? In fact its you MMD-bootlickers who will cause genocide in Zambia coz you are so selfish and selfcentred. You dont care about poor Zambians who are dying in great numbers. You are very bad people who have turned Zambians into destitutes to always depend on begged money from the basungus. What a shame you are to Zambians. Leave the media alone and just start being honesty and truthfull in your dealings with Zambians. Thanks be to the Post for being the spokes piece of undermined and dispised Zambians. JEHOVAH GOD WILL DEAL WITH YOU MMD-THIEVES ONE DAY. Days are numbered.
democracy cannot flourish in a culture where there is no tolerance for institutions like the free media because it rests on these institutions for checks and balances.Minister shikapwasha don’t try to democratise violence by defending criminals who are paid by the MMD to silence the media by attacking journalists that is why you have failed to protect chinese investors and and construction workers from criminals because you have criminals in your camp under a camouflaged name called MMD cadres.You are trying to incourage a culture of violence to protect you from answering question from journalists because you have failed.Now we are a nation held captive by evil forces.Those cadres who faught went to protect banda from answering question about zamtel after magande challenged the sell.
we were cadres before mind you
we know what used to happen during the third term
shika wants the media to be controlled if not closed like in venezuela.amano yaba mutumba bamudala aba.the brain cells are non functional like someone would say.
As usual empty tins have missed the point.
You see, the cry by the Post for press freedom is much like a convicted criminal demanding that he is entitled to freedom and not prison.
Guys the Post is losing us our freedom, and we choose to close our eyes and refuse to analyse issues objectively?
Gen. you are not just used to democracy, are you?
PROPHET OF DOOM.
Shikapwasha cipuba sana.
Now the government is moving towards “ruling through fear”. I remeber the old days under KK when we had Kachepa’s adverts.
RB should be careful as this soldier boy Shikapwasha is inciting the ARMY into taking over the government. Otherwise, how can he even be contemplating that the Rwanda genocide can happen in Zambia. Is this really not planting bad influence into the army?
Can RB remove this PROPHET OF DOOM before the country goes up in flames.
You corrector #16 be just a bit intelligent.
If anyone is aggrieved by what is written about them by the POST, they have a right to go to court as the laws are there for protection.
If you follow the media, then you must be aware that the government has taken a Post reporter to court over a S.T.U.P.1.D pornography case which lacks any intergrity.
So why regulate or is it censor the media in a free and democratic state?
No wonder the Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail have no following by the majority and progressive Zambians.
Otherwise, why read the Post if you don’t like their reporting?
Surely Shikapwasha has this whole affair back to front. His concern should have been about government lacking the power or indeed the will or desire to do something about thugs becoming a law within themselves. He should be looking inwards not passing the buck! The laws exist. The question is whether the likes of Shikapwasha are willing to do anything about it to enforce the said laws. Talking about the government intending to come up with regulations to police the actions of the media is same as controlled press, something we were hoping to distance ourselves from. It’s a wonder how party cadres send so much fear in politicians. The concern is simply that the same cadres will agitate their removal from offices thereby depriving them of the false sense of security!!
Mind boggling. Where is the connection between regulation, whatever form, of the media and MMD thuggery and lawlessness? Is this shika whatever insinuating that regulations for media practitioners are what will control the hooliganism of his party cadres. I do not get it?
Government should just work hard to people’s expectations and the media will have no lies to tell. Period
Below is the verbatim of the recorded conversation.
High Commissioner Mbula: Where is the President right now?
Silwamba: The President has just left.
High Commissioner Mbula: He has taken off?
Silwamba: Yes!
High Commissioner Mbula: Aha.
[Silence]
High Commissioner Mbula: I think that I am not very sure yet.
Silwamba: Okay?
High Commissioner Mbula: Maybe after he has come, when I have seen the programme, you can let me, you can phone me.
Silwamba: Okay. Alright.
High Commissioner Mbula: Aha!
Silwamba: Then I will phone you again.
High Commissioner Mbula: Then we can discuss. Thank you.
Silwamba: Okay. Thank you.
Later, Silwamba telephoned South Africa Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson [or former spokesperson] Ronnie Mamoepa.
Mamoepa: Contact Nomfanelo Kota on [mobile number].
Silwamba: [Reads out the mobile number]
Mamoepa: That is correct.
Silwamba: Ms who?
Mamoepa: Kota
Silwamba: She is the spokesperson for the President.
Mamoepa: For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Silwamba: Okay, Alright. Thank you very much
Mamoepa: Thank you. Bye!
After that Silwamba telephoned Nomfenalo Kota.
Silwamba: What time are the bilateral talks between our President, His Excellency the President of Zambia Mr Rupiah Banda and President Jacob Zuma starting and what is the agenda?
Kota: I have not been informed by the desk that deals with Zambian issues. So I am in the dark.
Silwamba: Okay?
Kota: As soon as we get informed, normally, we do send out a media advisory. Usually it is one week or two weeks in advance.
Silwamba: So far there is nothing?
Kota: On my desk there is nothing that says Zambia.
Silwamba: Okay, okay. Alright!
Kota: It might still be coming
Silwamba: Then I will call you again.
Kota: No problem.
Silwamba: Your first name is?
Kota: Nomfanelo
Silwamba: Nomsa.
Kota: Nomfanelo. Not Nomsa. Nomfanelo
Silwamba: Okay Nomfanelo Kota.
Kota: Yes!
Silwamba: Spokesperson for?
Kota: The Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
Silwamba: Alright. Thank you very much. We will keep in touch.
Silwamba later telephoned Magwenya and asked him when the meeting between the two presidents would take place and the key issues that were to be discussed during their bilateral talks.
Magwenya [sounds surprised]: When is that?
Silwamba: He [President Banda] left today; he left this morning for South Africa saying he is having bilateral talks with President Zuma.
[Silence]
Magwenya: When?
Silwamba: They didn’t say, we were just told that ‘he is leaving today; he is having bilateral talks with the President, President Zuma and that’s it. And after that he will go for his medical review.’ So we just wanted to be sure [about their meeting and agenda].
Magwenya: Well, I will have to come back to you on that, chief.
Silwamba: Okay.
Magwenya: I haven’t received any confirmation…
After that, Silwamba asked Magwenya if he could call him back if there were any changes and the meeting would take place.
But Magwenya advised Silwamba to send him a text message so that he [Magwenya] could get his number.
Silwamba later sent text to Magwenya but the latter did not call back with any new information.
RB, the uninvited visitor. He thinks just because Jacob was with him at Ncwala admiring bare chested ladies (soft porn), they are now tight buddies, and he can just pitch up in Tshwane.
Oh and I forgot about Ronnie ‘the nose’ Shikapwasha. Does he not realise that one of the main roles of Govt is to protect its citizens? What is the fool proposing? Does he want the press bodies to form a police service? Thank goodness we have never gone to war. Apart from the obvious tragedy of loss of life, with Generals of this caliber we would have been over run in a matter of hours!!
Just help these people, you thugs.We are felt to be a democratic Citizens, but where have you been all these days when your boys are fighting our own people.
Nonsense Ronnie you are saying have no meaning at all.
What self regulations now you put a blame on these media?
The media as disappointed millions. Why have they continued covering this gorrila? This is will be the best self regulation. Giving this guy audience seems to excite this man whose brain is no larger than thumb. This man is a former commander. How did he rise to such a position? These are guys who bewitch others for positions. How many nephews and nieces did he eat to rise to his position? My goodness, he feels that being Minister of Information and Broadcasting he is there to control what is reported. In fact in a country with less than 10 news outlets that position is totally irrelevant. His should just be a department under the ministry of works and supplies. Each Ministry and department has a spokesperson, why him too? Govt spokesperson should be at cabinet office, not a Minister.
The MMD should not take the prevailing peace environment in ZED for granted. Its foolish for a government minister to compare Zambia with Rwanda.
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha, Shame on this man. He got lost in time , he needs to go back to the 19 century. Degenerative, mutated, laboratory Rat.