By Hon Davies Mwila Patriotic Front Secretary General
1. INTRODUCTION
We refer to the recent announcement by the Chief Government Spokesperson Hon. Dora Siliya; to the effect that the Government of the Republic of Zambia and its agents have ceased to cooperate with Prime Television station with immediate effect.
2. PF DISTINCTIVE RECORD IN PROMOTING A DIVERSE, PLURAL AND INDEPENDENT MEDIA
It is an indisputable fact that since Patriotic Front formed government in 2011 under the leadership of our founding father the late President Michael Chilufya Sata and his successor His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the private media space has expanded exponentially to unprecedented levels that the nation only previously dreamed of.
We are gratified that numerous private broadcast houses including Prime TV have been established, thrived and grown from strength to strength under the enabling environment fostered by the Patriotic Front Government.
The very existence of Prime TV which only came into existence when it was founded, and first broadcast in 2016 – after PF formed Government; and PF Government’s continued tolerance of its often unethically acrimonious anti-government content and routinely partisan programming, is a clear testimony of the practical commitment of the Patriotic Front Government to democracy- with its attendant principles freedom of speech and other virtues associated with pluralism.
3. MEDIA FREEDOM DOES NOT CONOTE DISCARDING MEDIA ETHICS, PATRIOTISMAND UBUNTU
Having said that, we will be the first to acknowledge that in a democratic society like ours, divergent ideas are the norm, and stakeholders are consequently not obliged to always agree with Government.
However, one doesn’t have to be disagreeable to disagree. Even in a pluralistic environment with divergent views, Patriotism, Truth, Decency, Mutual Respect and other core ethics should not be discarded or overlooked in the name of “Media Freedom”. This is especially so especially in circumstances where there are serious threats to Public Health and the overall security of our nation.
4. PF GOVERNMENT IS RESOLVED TO PROTECT CITIZENS FROM PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARDS
The Patriotic Front Government is uncompromising in its resolve to protect its citizens from public health hazards, and to minimize the danger and impact of acute public health events, such as COVID-19, which endanger the collective health of the Zambian population.
The war against COVID-19 is a battle being fought across various fronts using a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach to which the media are pivotal.
We ALL have a role to play-since it is an undertaking that requires a collective effort. It is above partisan interests and self-seeking political agendas driven by a sadistic love of money.
5. WE WILL NOT ENGANGE WITH ANTI-SOCIAL SELF SEEKING PARTISAN ENTITIES WORKING AGAINST PUBLIC INTEREST
In light of the foregoing, we find the refusal by Prime TV Proprietor Mr. Gerald Shawa to cooperate with government in sensitising the Zambian public about the COVID-19 pandemic, to be not just unpatriotic, but inhuman and reprehensible as well.
We wonder whose interests the Station is serving, because his interests and those of the station as well as those of his cronies clearly do not serve the interests of the health and general well-being of the people of Zambia.
His related bragging and the way he boasted that government was only utilising his station because it had “a large audience” and not because government wanted to support his station financially, was similarly loaded with conceit and a misplaced air of self-importance.
It would be untenable for the PF and friends of the Party to continue to cooperate with anti-social entities that purposely act contrary to the best interest of the people of Zambia.
His misplaced belligerence therefore leaves us with no choice but to recommend that government’s cessation of cooperation with Prime TV be extended to friends of the Party. Further we wish to state that Prime TV shall NOT be invited to cover any of the PF events neither shall any of its members and officials feature on the station for programmes whether paid for or not until further notice.
6. A CALL TO MEDIA BODIES AND STAKEHOLDERS TO TAKE OBJECTIVE INTEREST IN PRIME TV’S PARTISAN INTRANSIGENCE ON A MATTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND GENERALLY UNETHICAL DISPOSITION
We further call upon media bodies and relevant stakeholders to take an objective interest in Prime TV’s entrenched unethical partisan position and their unfortunate intransigence to matters of public health. COVID-19 is a global pandemic that knows no political boundary.
PF viruses continue behaving as true idyots. Please please coronavirus go and attack at PF secretariat, some PF should die and rest get quarantined for rest of there 1 year.
Extra Extra Read all about it! No more them on prime TV. This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the lord has made, we will rejoice, we will rejoice and be glad in it and be glad in it…..
He called John Sangwa dull when he himself finished Grave 12 at 50yrs old, he’s waiting to go into college. Daniel Pule started Grade 1 when he was 17 years old, what can you expect from such individuals? They’ve done more harm to Zambia than COVID-19, HIV and cholera combined
Thank God we will be watching prime TV in peace. Does this mean they have decided to go back where they came from?
PF is an embarrassment to human kind! You can win now by gagging Prime TV, its only for a short while. As the wheel turns every point of the tyre gets a chance to carry the load, today’s Prime TV. PF’s turn is coming & hopefully it goes into extinction forever. What a bunch of arrogant illiterates masquerading as nobel citizens.
Another massive d1ck head and waste of tax payers cash just like KZ .Batombolilo imwe
So PF thinks people will stop watching Prime TV bad calculation by Dora silly just like her name lack of common sense or judgement absurd and foolish.
So PF thinks people will stop watching Prime TV bad calculation by Dora just like her name lack of common sense or judgement absurd and foolish.
Lusaka times keep on blocking our comments now dancing to dununa reverse song. So PF thinks people will stop watching Prime TV bad calculation lack of common sense or judgement absurd and foolish.
Sichalwe March 21, 2020 At 9:07 am
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Lusaka times keeps on blocking our comments now dancing to dununa reverse song. So PF thinks people will stop watching Prime TV bad calculation lack of common sense or judgement absurd and foolish.
Don’t waste time talk8ng on or about PRIME TV, it is a known fact and all zambians know that
The station in it self
Is Updead party
Look at the way they do their news analysis
Their news also they have never aired anything positive to the government
Just let them concertrate on their party and let’s see who is going to loose
You liars ba PF you’ve been searching for a reason to attack Prime TV for a while now especially with other Hopeless boys like tayali.
We have seen this strategy before when Kambwili did the same to the Post. We know your intentions you thieves!
Just admit it PF, Prime tv has overshadowed your ZNBC. Prime tv is willing to host people holding divergent views on an issue on one programme. PF will not allow ZNBC to do that. Contrast that with ZNBC during the LPM years whn Ben Kangwa hosted Michael Sata on many programmes and there was no threat to its journalists.
The PF should learn to separate and differentiate between the PF political party which serves the partisan interests of the PF members and the PF Government which must and should be serving the interests of the Nation (the Zambian people in general). The issue of the COVID-19 should not be politicised by the PF party and any discussion; efforts and measures to respond to it and contain it should be spearheaded by the Government and not the PF as a political party. This is where the PF and Zambian political parties that form government struggle to understand.
This guy is speaking on behalf of government and yet he is wearing a PF ‘hat’ at the same time.
An entire government with state machinery at its disposal is trying to have a dogfight with a defenceless individual and…
When you see an elderly man stand up to say things with very little substance, then know that he is facing a brick wall with nowhere to go.
An entire government with state machinery at its disposal is trying to have a dogfight with a defenceless individual and organisation who have chosen to remain independent and apolitical. The PF controls enough media houses and they should not be trying to interfere with the operations of Prime TV. If Prime TV’s owners choose to be unpatriotic, that is the matter for them to deal with their own conscience and the Zambian people can choose not to watch their TV… PF have no business trying to involve themselves into non of their business.
UPND has already finished Prime TV the way Muvi TV is finished…Gerald Shawa will cry he thinks he’s bigger than the majority silent Zambians who support the Government…He should know that we had the mighty Post Newspapers who thought they were bigger than the Government…Prime TV is into group think mentality typical of the UPND and Radio Phoenix is also sliding into group think mentality but are doing it in a camouflage way…
What kind of a GRZ is this that gasses it’s own citizens for political gain ???
Nemwine
“……Contrast that with ZNBC during the LPM years whn Ben Kangwa hosted Michael Sata…..”
That is a bare fact , right there.
Just goes to show you that lungu is nothing but a violent corrupt thieving drunk lawyer from chawama …….a fraud convict himself leading a gang of violent corrupt thugs.
Malabisi yeka yeka!
Just pay and it will show!
Prime TV, we warned you not to entertain this species! They were setting a trap for you and you seem to have walked majestically into it!
PF does not like Independent Media and Divergent views!
But you are at liberty to take legal action against Mwila, Dora and Lusambo for Abuse of Authority of Office! Don’t allow yourselves to be intimidated. Know your Rights!
Ba Handsome Mwila, what have you ever done for free lately?? Dora and her Party and Govt should lead by example also like going without pay to help reduce the burden on broke GRZ.
@Fwanya keep on dreaming. Have you ever seen Davies Mwila, Dora the explorer … Make an effort to unit or give hope to Zambians – NO. Guess why, they are sadists, who thrive on other people’s misery.
Thank you . Time we put upnd media to rest.
I have just read the article or rather fake news posted by Zambia watchdog alleging that I beat up some pf provincial official at Chicago’s last night and that I threatened to shoot him. That is funny when I was at home with my family at the same time. Anyway I am sure I have many imaginary clones. I was not drinking last night. If anything I am drinking today in kafue. So if you seem me approach me and I will get you a free drink.x
Kz
Director of higher intelligence in OP
Actually real job is monitoring internet traffic using equipment supplied by totalitarian regimes. My phone tells me about any remote monitoring. I’m aware of who’s doing wht on my numbers. It doesn’t bother me at all.
PF have spent their ENTIRE term in office doing politics with EVERYTHING. Surely fellow Zedians, you still want these guys beyond 2021?? Seriously!!??
Timba, timba banyama, timba banyama baya.
Reads the first paragraph, quits and goes to comments.
“… the private media has grown since the PF took over… especially under Edgar Chagwesa Economy Lungu…”
The fudge?
Their economy is intact; it’s yours that has gone off the rails, so they cannot care less. In fact they believe you are have never had it so good.
KZ,
Go complain in Zambia watchdog, not here….we are not interested