Mr Kambwili said the Oasis Forum was exhibiting the worst form of hypocrisy by criticising President Edgar Lungu’s decision to form a commission of inquiry to conduct a post-mortem of the pre and post elections violence that resulted in loss of lives and left a trail of destruction of public and private property.
Mr Kambwili said it had become crystal clear that the Oasis Forum with its financiers were pushing an anti-Government agenda so that there could be political consternation in the country, thereby making the country ungovernable.
Mr Kambwili, who is chief Government spokesperson, said in an interview yesterday that the people and media organisations on whose behalf the Oasis Forum was speaking had been breaking the country’s laws with impunity and should, therefore, account for their irresponsible actions. He said Government was not going to waste time responding to the Oasis Forum accusations because that would only work to give the organisation credence.
Mr Kambwili said the Oasis Forum that stood and opposed the third term attempt by former president Frederick Chiluba had completely changed into a partisan organisation championing the cause of opposition political parties and media houses that were propagating hate messages against President Lungu and the Patriotic Front (PF).
“The Oasis Forum is being irresponsible and we are not surprised that they can oppose President Lungu’s good intention of forming a commission of inquiry to delve into the violence that characterised the last general elections. The Oasis Forum has reduced itself to being a mouth piece of the UPND and an appendage of the Post Newspaper. The people and media houses the Oasis Forum has been speaking for have been breaking the law with impunity and it is the desire of the forum that those who breach the laws of the country should not account for their actions,” Mr Kambwili said.
Mr Kambwili said it was President Lungu’s genuine desire to establish the cause of the violence that characterised the last general elections and find a lasting solution so that the vice did not repeat itself in the coming elections. Yesterday, the Oasis Forum declared that there was no need for the formation of a commission of inquiry to investigate the causes of violence before, during and after the August general elections.
In a statement signed by Catholic Bishop Cleophas Lungu, the Oasis Forum said the reasons behind the violence in the last general elections were known which according to them included the country having a deficient Public Order Act and its biased application.
The Oasis Forum also accused the Zambia Police of not being independent and impartial apart from allowing cadres from the ruling party to run public places such as bus stations.
“The Oasis Forum is becoming increasingly alarmed at the trend of political intimidation and physical attacks against citizens and members of the private media, most recently against Komboni Radio and Prime TV and generally the violation of human rights on Zambian citizens.
“We welcome the apology of the Republican Vice-President over the unfortunate remarks that the assault of journalist Lesa Nyirenda was warranted as we believe that violence of this nature has no place in a Christian democracy such as ours. We recall the intimidation of the Post Newspaper and the Muvi TV. These attacks appear to be an attempt by Government to diminish dissenting voices of citizens to achieve their own end,” Fr Lungu said.
And you have reduced yourself to being a mouth piece of pf when your role is government spokesman. Silly baboon
Silly Silverback.
What shocks me is how a minister can live in Zambia and his family in UK enjoy all the free benefits that are provided by the UK government while this guy put pain on poor Zambians.
Yes Kambwili, talk about development.Let me give you am agenda.How the government will learn from Dangote how to use coal to electrify the whole of Ndola.How the sewerage spilling in SNDP Chiwempala should be solved.In fact you should go and drink that sewerage.
Why is it that anyone critising Govt is labeled ‘UPND sympathizer’ or ‘bitter’? In a democratic state like Zambia, each and every citizen has a duty to provide checks and balances. Instead of calling OASIS Forum names, Govt must engage them in a meaningful dialogue and get more details on the issues they raised.
Because that’s how Pathetic Fascists behave. They hate criticism. They will shut you down for criticising and questioning them.
Democracy has a completely different meaning my dear Kgosi, in Zambia now. It appears that criticism against the government means you are either insulting them or you are a sad person. Dullness galore.
This irresponsible government which responds even to face book comments! malabishi
This government and its leadership are really laughable things to have happened to this country. Clearly, Kambwili does remember how the oasis forum opposed the failed ‘third term’ and yet accuses the same body of being politically inclined?
The country remembers how one father Bwalya demonized a credible institute in the name of LAZ and how he was embarrassed after the Con Court ruling. You tend to wonder why this government simply doesn’t want criticism? Anyone who has a dissenting view is deemed opposition and bitter. Really laughable!!!
YES KAMBWILI IS VERY RIGHT.. THE OASIS FORUM THAT OPPOSED CHILUBA’S BID FOR A THIRD TERM IS NOT THE SAME ONE THAT EXISTS TODAY . THE REASON IS SIMPLE. THE OASIS FORUM OF TODAY HAS A POLITICAL AGENDA TO SUPPORT THE UPND.
This PF government is rotten. You can tell the quality of governance by the official statements made. If you follow how Kambwili responds, you wonder whether the entire PF government has no credible people to advise how statements must be made and in what tone. This government is always in a political mode forgetting that they have to govern, provide direction for the country. Is Kambwili saying what the OASIS forum said had no substance? If indeed they are agents of the UPND, don’t UPND deserve to be heard? We are all Zambians with different opinions. We all deserve to be heard. What Kambwili is doing is proof of poor leadership, or simply lack of leadership. The PF have failed to provide credible leadership to the country and hence the rantings by Kambwili on anything that he hears…
OH NO NO. THE PF IS A DARLING OF THE ZAMBIANS. THE MORE THAN 50%+13,000 VOTERS.
Just talk and no insults pls
Whoever criticises the PF government is said to be the sympathisers of the opposition. Does this mean the PF is led by angels who don’t make mistakes? PF has failed us were justice is concerned, the police, the courts and even this the so called commission of inquiry shall be nvestigating only the Opposition. All PF criminals like Max will be sacred cows. Shame on you ba PF.
The commission is welcome.I will be among those presenting my evidence and views.I do not mind whether they will be considered or not.All i want is to speak out to someone out there,bcoz i know that it will remain in their mind,bcoz i dont know what wrong i committed by belonging to the opposition UPND or wearing a upnd tshirt.I want to speak out how i felt when i was undressed and barred from entering intercity just bcoz i was wearing a upnd tshirt and was from southern.I want to speak out how i feel when other pipo put it in black and white that as tongas can never rule zambia.I want to ask them whether am a zambian or not,for me to be segregated like that.Finally,i want to tell them that i will fight to the bitter end.
Upnd is a serious nightmare to Kambwili and his pf government, if he coughs it upnd, what’s his fear? Tell the nation how you are going resolve issues that the nation is facing.. upnd is not the governing party.. it’s pf.. so tell us how you plan to move development and job creation in Zambia.. it’s boring to always hear your hateful mouth talk about upnd day in day out.. its shame for a minister to sink this low..