QFM Radio in Lusaka has said MMD Kafulafuta Member of Parliament George Mpombo should apologise to President Rupiah Banda for claiming that the head of State went to South Africa to watch the World Cup final or risk becoming an enemy of the station.
Speaking in Lusaka yesterday, QFM Radio managing director, Asan Nyama said since it was clear that Mr Banda did not travel to South Africa, Mr Mpombo should apologise to the president and the entire nation.
“Since it has come out that President Banda did not go to South Africa, we expect Mr Mpombo to go a step further and show remorse that what he did was wrong.
‘‘As a station, we want to be professional and everybody should be factual,” Mr Nyama said.
As a medium of communication, he said QFM was saddened by the turn of events and, therefore, asked Mr Mpombo to apologise.
If Mr Mpombo does not say sorry, the station would consider him as an unreliable source, and the former Defence minister should be shunned by all media institutions.
“We are saddened by the events and urge him to come and apologise. We regret that he came and said those things. If Mr Mpombo does not give us accurate information, then he becomes an enemy of QFM and will not be regarded as a reliable source,” Mr Nyama said.
[pullquote]If Mr Mpombo does not say sorry, the station would consider him as an unreliable source, and the former Defence minister should be shunned by all media institutions.[/pullquote]
Mr Nyama said QFM Radio was ready to give Mr Mpombo airspace to apologise to the president and the people of Zambia for the wrong impression he created by claiming that Mr Banda had travelled to South Africa to watch the World Cup final match between Spain and the Netherlands.
Mr Nyama said politicians should not engage in peddling lies about one another.
But Mr Mpombo said when he addressed a Press briefing in Ndola yesterday he would not retract his statement.
He said he had no intention of withdrawing the statement because it was a QFM reporter who called him and solicited for his comment on the basis that President Banda had stopped over in South Africa on his way to Turkey.
“The reporter asked if I did not think that President Banda had gone to watch the World Cup final since he had stopped over in South Africa on his way to Turkey.
“Considering that the president is an ardent soccer fan and one who likes to travel, I concluded he had gone to watch the soccer match,” Mr Mpombo said.
He said QFM Radio was making it look as though he had featured on their programme when he was in fact at his farm in Kafulafuta.
Mr Mpombo challenged the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Zambia chapter) and the Press Association of Zambia to retrieve the conversation he had with the reporter so that they could guide the radio station adequately.
He accused Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia executive director Pukuta Mwanza, Independent Churches of Zambia president David Masupa and House of Chiefs chairperson Chief Mazimawe of speaking on issues they did not understand.
Apologies? There are not very common in Zambia, especially in the political arena. Kwi? He will even add salt to injury. Te bwaume to apologize nibu mbuli bo.
MPOMBO COMMON DUIKER IS AN ENEMY OF QFM AND INDEED AN ENEMY OF THE NATION. MPOMBO IS A LONELY MAN AND VERY SORRY HE WILL BE COMPLETELY ISOLATED. I DOUBT IF MEMBE CAN GIVE UYU KAPOLI ANYMORE HEADLINE IN THE POST. WE CANT URGUE WITH A DULL MAN LIKE MPOMBO BCOS PIPO MIGHT NOT NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE
Not even ashamed of himself.And these are parliamentarians we have in Zed.Sad.This guy even has followers,funny!! A simple sorry is difficulty suwa.Iam happy has alienated Qfm so that credible people can be given coverage.I salute you Qfm.
IFI MYEMFU.Ba QFM as well should apologize not regret.
“But Mr Mpombo said when he addressed a Press briefing in Ndola yesterday he would not retract his statement.”
Mr. Mpombo give us a break. You cannot state something you have no evidence on as factual.
Just apologize. We know you are human and are prone to make mistakes but to own up to the mistakes is what sets some apart from others.
#4 VJ Rigger,
I support you, both Mpombo and QFM must apologise. Mpombo is too sensational and QFM are simply unprofessional. QFM should not pretend to be too clever on this issue. Mpombo and QFM are sides of the same coin.
This is the exact careless talk that spews from minds whose thinking is shaped and adulterated by dissappointing daily tabloid editorials.The result has been that the citizens have become dangerously skewed towards unjustifiably attacking a president they have chosen to hate regardless of the positivity of what he does or the negativity of what he has not even done. In Barotseland we always encourage our people to strive to be independent thinkers.If am asked what is The Litunga doing in Mporokoso,My honest answer would be firstly i was not even aware His Majesty had travelled there. But to beginning to going on speculating about what he may or may not be doing there so as to paint Him in bad light is regretable and sadly this is the mind set of most Zambians on the current Presidency.
R.B shud 1st apologise to donors 4 insulting them. He likes being in the air too much. He thinks Levy (MHSRP) brought him from the farm to become a MAKOPOLO? Atase! RB has a big head but with a small brain.
Who is fooling who?
#7
Senior Citizen moves onto another I.D
Serious Dude.
What number of I.D’s are you now up too?
I wish LT used the photo of Mpombo kneeling down in front of Mwanawasa – love that photo. Mpombo should just say sorry if he was mistaken, na nkhani yasila period.
Iz there anything to apologize about here? If Mpombo thought aloud that RB had gone to watch futbo, then what’s the fuss?
My Dearest #10 am deeply flattered for your drawing a comparison between His Right Honourable Senior Citizen and meself albeit deeply flawed. Am actually blushing under my dark Barotse skin hue. I have been a keen follow of Senoir Citizen’s valuable contribution on this forum but his quality of writing i have never come close to achieving. My full names are NAMAKANDO NALIKANDO SINYAMA and have never had any reason to hide behind an alias for my opinions on any issue under the sun. For the umpteenth time,it is my unwaivering wish that zambians should strive and endeavour to cultivate the art of first arming themselves with accurate knowledge on all matters before they comment instead of seemingly playing darts,blind-folded,in the dark,while under the influence of a mood altering substance
#8 wabe nkandi. kaboyi
#7 and 13 barotse patriot you are so wise I love your contributions. If we could all write like you then this blogging would be respected. problem most people only know how to insult. I agree totally with your points and take them as mine
# zemule kimalozi fela explains what you are some cheap refugee
QFM, THATS WHY PIPO CALL FOR MEDIA REGULATION YOU ARE NOT ANY BETA THAN MPOMBO. WE NEED TO BRING LAWS TO KEEP YOU IN CHEK PRIVATE MEDIA. IS MOSES NYAMA A SCRIBE OR DJ
# 14 (kimalozi fela) u are S.T.U.P.I.D u poor boy. U come from the same farm with R.B? I dont care whether this man from the farm R.B is yo father or uncle, the fact is, his head is big BUT his brain is very small. I hear he now wants 2 visit the moon.hahahahaha. Old village headman in state house.
The now all too familiar sickening diatribe of the dictionary thumping George Mpombo is an indication of a lost soul on the verge of dementia. Mpombo has lost it and is now spewing anything under the sun as long as it casts RB in bad light. The little publicity he has been receiving in the media has gone to his head to an extent that he figures out he is the most popular man in Zambia. The man needs urgent help before he goes beserk wearing sackcloth wondering in the bushes in the vicinity of his Kantonte farm.
# 16 (MBUTUSHI REFUGEE). U are also D.U.L.L and U.S.E.L.E.S.S. Mukafwilamofye kumafamu bafikamba. U seem to be frustrated with yo poverty. Tamwaishiba na color ya ndeke bafikamba imwe.
#12, Tha Only Living Jay. The fuss is that it was a lie that RB went to South Africa to watch footbal, but I suppose you wouldn’t know the difference because the truth probably doesn’t matter to you. However, for media houses such as BBC, Reuters, AFP, their reputation for truth is very important.
Am not a fun of Mpombo nor QFM, but there is need to separate a fact from an opinion. It was a fact that Mpombo was making his on opinion on the flying president. And it is a fact that Mpombo did not tell QFM to report his opinion and it was just an opinion of QFM to report the opinion of MPombo. So QFM don’t force Mpombo to apologise, you should be selective in your news gathering. think outside the box thanyou.:-?:-?:-?:)>-:)>-;);)
#18, Zemule, I hope I do not provoke you when I say that living at a farm as I do, is not such a bad or backward thing. RB is not my father but is some one who is a very decent and mature person who lived with his first wife for over thirty years until she died from cancer and he buried her with great dignity. Mwanawasa also thought he was a great asset and a source of stability and that is why he went to ask him to be Vice-President. The succession could have gone to Kavindele, Nevers Mumba or Lupando Mwape but I suppose God’s had settled on Rupiah. You may dislike him, that is your choice, but you have to love him because he is another human being.
#23 why did he marry his gandchild? where is his decence and maturity in politics? are u telling us your thought about mwanawasa’s choice or the reasons of mwanawasa’s choice? sorry u sound twitively and quabbling:d:d:d:d
# 23 (NKOLE WA MAPEMBWE UMFWE MILANDU) I have respect 4 u. U are a reasonable person. But that guy seems 2 hate Zambians in diaspora as if they are the causer of his poverty. I dont hate R.B. actually but the manner he is governing the country. I hate his actions not him as a person.
#20 zemule its not me who sent you into destitution you failed on your on so dont bring it out on me. i have been to many coutries including UK,USA, italy soviet union, egypt on duty and school. between you and me who is in dire need. Im at home in peace no fear of deportation and work when I want to at my own pace. I dont have to burst my backside like you doing long hours to enable me pay for cable tv or car carnot or insurance, heat, resuse collection or health insurance. im able to do all with easy. i dont need to borrow a car on hire purchase i simply get on a plane to durban one and drive back.
#24 kaka, RB is awell to do man he is not a pauper like you. even if he had to go into retirement his children are well to do. he invested in the education of his family. he is well educated worked as cabinet minister under KK, diplomat, chief exexutive of parastatal, republican vice president and finally head of state. he has attained the highest job in the land not by trickery but rich CV. kaka you might not even attain half what RB has.
# 26 (MBUTUSHI REFUGEE) stop dreaming about UK, USA or those countries u have heard pipo talk about. U will just die in yo village iwe kapoli. A person who has been abroad before cannot reason so f.oolishly and s.tupidly like u. Who lied to u that everyone is suffering abroad? U are the pipo who come out of yo thatched house 2 watch an aeroplane.
hahaha..zed politics…mpombo was right..no need to be intimidated Moses Nyama…
Mpombo is a joker…I wonder why any genuine media house would want to quote him. He was appointed because he was part of the family tree.
#21 Am glad you say for media houzes like the BBC, AFP and others (you should include QFM) the reputation for the truth iz paramount. Mpombo gave an opinion which QFM waz suppozed to objetively analyze before making it public.
Why force some one to apologies? Are you begging for an apology. Did Mpombo force any one to believe him? Muleibwelamo fimo. If Mpombo apologies then what next? If anyone has a case against Mpombo let him sue him. Are pleading for an apology? Tell RB to go on his knees to get an apology from Mpombo.
Imwe ba QFM did Mpombo force you to air his statement? Just do your part then its up to Mpombo to do his part. Mpombo is busy with court issues. Childish politics. Childish journalism. Verify before airing. You air rumors from Mpombo then you want Mpombo to repeat his rumor mongering. Atase.
This ignorant chap should just apologise for colluding with the QFM reporter on matters he did not need to comment on. He did not know, so why did he ‘assume’. So how many of his utterances have been mere assumptions? Does he really want to sound like a serious politician, one contending to be head of state?
Everyone is apologising, can I also apologise?
No you do not need to apologise. I cannot blame Mpombo for that. If one has a good record of gallivanting- statistically conclusions can be made in that manner. If 1 out of 10 you are stealing then its possible to conclude with 95% confidence that you are a thief!
Mpombo is useless who has forgoten his incompetence when he was energy minister with fuel blues?the man is an opportunist,liar and lives on other peoples misteries.its good he will be shown the door for kafulafuta seat and young Patrick Mwanawasa will teach him real politics coz he is too talkative and abusive language too much from his every day tuntrams diarrhoea of the mouth.we cant even read relevant issues everyday post newspaper its mpombo mpombo mpombo no wonder hi name means piss of sh!t in chewa.He is an i.d.i.o.t…
it is funny honestly to read how people think those of us who are living in the first world are suffering and yet we are enjoying buy one get one free. If you are a failure not blame it on others we have worked hard to were we are.
What should one make of this radio station for blackmailing a citizen to apologize for something? If he he does not wish to do so leave him alone. How many lies have Banda and Chiluba told to the nation and how many times has this pretentious little radio station asked them to apologize. The only thing to come out of this is the fact that this is a mouth piece of Banda.
#32 great point. Good journalism calls for verification of facts before reporting.
# 37 (London) u are very right. Am equally shocked to hear some pipo who were told when they were young that pipo in developed countries suffer. How? We really have worked hard in life and are now enjoying quality life here & yet a poor man in a poor country thinks otherwise. Imagine! Yaba ignorance ni vuto.