Police in Chipata has arrested and charged Chipata Television News Editor Iris Mwale for seditious practices.
The Editor was arrested and charged along with a UPND official who issued a statement that the UPND will not recognise President Edgar Lungu’s re-election which was covered in a news story
Ms. Mwale who appeared in court yesterday has since been released on bail and is expected to be back in court this Friday.
The charge of seditious practice is in line with Section 57(1) (b) of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.
Particulars of the offence were that the on 26 September, 2016 in Chipata in Eastern Province jointly and whilst acting together acting with intent to raise discontent or disaffection among the people of Zambia, seditiously uttered and published a seditious publication concerning government.
And Chairperson for the Chipata Media Club Oswald Yabani has said that he will conduct a peaceful protest on Friday if the charge against Chipata Tevelevision News Editor Iris Mwale is not dropped.
Mr Yabani who bemoaned the continued threat on the the media said the charge given to Ms Mwale was a wrong charge as the editor only allowed a story to air on TV of a person who said the UPND did not recognize the election of President Lungu.
“If the Police do not drop the charge against Chipata Television News Editor Iris Mwale,I will conduct a peaceful protest on Friday and Journalist who wish to join should be dressed in back.
“The charge of seditious practice contrary to section 57(1) (b) of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia is wrong particularly on Iris. The Editor only allowed a story to air on TV of a person who said his party (UPND) did not recognize the election of President Edgar Lungu, so how does the Journalist come in?”
Particulars of the offence were that the two on 26 September, 2016 in Chipata in Eastern Province jointly and whilst acting together with intent to raise discontent or disaffection among the people of Zambia, seditiously uttered and published a seditious publication concerning government.
Mr Yabani has called on colleagues from the media who wish to participate in the protest to join him at the the Chipata golf coarse where he will start from going to the Chipata Central Police at 09hrs.
Ms Mwale was yesterday detained after she appeared in court for publishing seditious publication concerning the government and failed to meet the bail conditions.
Such an appalling building.
How many are they going to arrest?
Uko! The effects of dununa backwardness under visionless PF of Lungu.
Everyday journalists & opposition members esp from UPND are intimidated by PF’s state brutality. After journalists, next the PF police full of bandits will turn to the Church, all members charged for not dancing to dununa reverse.
Leave them alone, its journalism & PF to just stop their own corruption.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Atleast Chipata has a TV station. Which other province can make the same claim??????
Indeed this is now ZAMBABWE and falling. Mugabe must be smiling to see his student Lungu following in his footsteps. Ati twalingana nomba
Death, where is thy sting?
I see damnn people! They are everywhere!
Cry my beloved country!
For sure this will be Zambabwe soon. I wish our President could be friends with Magufuli of Tanzania. He can learn something that can bring sanity to this country.
Only in Chipata! How do you build such an ugly thing for a TV station?
The thing looks looks like Bwezani.
“with intent to raise discontent or disaffection among the people of Zambia”….
Wake up you PF looters, the people of Zambia do not need anyone to raise discontent or disaffection. You have already done that very well!
The architectural draughtsman over did it with the gable. He is caught in between Cape Dutch and a straightforward triangular gable end. The result is a dogs breakfast which will collapse any moment
Let the law take its kos. The fact the TV editor knew that she was breaking the law. Why do Zambians find it difficult to apologize?
YABANI ? IS IRIS MWALE YOUR WIFE OR GIRLFRIEND , WHY TAKE IT PERSONAL WHEN THE LAW IS ON COURSE,TRY ON FRIDAY WE SHALL ARREST YOU EVEN U TRY NAKED WE SHALL CUT YOUR SMALL STICK. THE BUILDING IS FORMERLY A HOTEL CONVERTED INTO A TV STATION WOW
If the procession were to be held in Lusaka, I would gladly join the procession. Harassment, intimidation and police brutality against journalists in Zambia has gotten out of hand. Last week it was Muvi TV journalist, today it is Mutinta yesterday it was Iris. Indeed we have become a police state where all have to be politically correct as if we are in a dictatorship. ….. what a shame
this teaches you to understand when upnd advises you to vote wiaely all this could not be made news now there is starvetion, prize hikes, you cant planhow to spend today cos of pfools.
Lungu thinks he has to harass journalists to shut the opposition up. What kind of rule is this? In 1991 we voted for a democracy not for PF to come and turn this into a dictatorship. Sata wasn’t harassing journalists. This is not Uganda or Zimbabwe
He has found a law to use on journalists. It’s Richard Sakala who told him
Comment: now you see Iris just put herself in hot soup for nothing, the selfish HH and GBM they were trying to please are nowhere to be seen her case. I feel pity for the Poor Iris, she even failed to pay for bail.
Just leave this person alone. He’s a small fish who can not even meet his bail requirements or can the UPND help out. The UPND got the person into this trouble.
We will obviously conduct citizens’ arrest on this Yabani at Chipata golf coarse if Police delay