By Dr Cosmas Musheke Musumali
Fred is a true Zambian patriot. He loves the people of Zambia and has been fighting for their human, political, and economic rights for more than 40 years.
Fred took up the fight against injustice in the late 1970s as a student. He founded a socialist student newsletter. Its focus was on Zambian, international, and student politics. It was an informative and influential left-wing newsletter that called for justice and equity and provided solidarity with the national liberation movements in southern Africa.
Later, in1990, Fred was to build on this student experience by contributing to Multiparty News. This was a newsletter initiated by the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) advocating for political change in Zambia. This was before he set up The Post newspaper in July 1991.
Fred did not come up with The Post in order to make money. It was a political move. He wanted to contribute to the consolidation of democracy in our country. The Post was a political project – and, ironically, died a political death.
Through The Post, he created a platform where Zambians had a loud voice and fearlessly pointed out the shortcomings of the existing establishment. And, because of that, he has been both loved and hated, depending upon the point of view of those who judged him.
Fred has been arrested, insulted and abused. He has been stripped of his earnings and personal effects. His home has been invaded, vandalised and occupied by the state. Few have attracted that much venom from the corrupt, ruling elite. The aim was to cripple him economically and psychologically – to stop him from being a voice of the masses. And this has been going on for almost 30 years now. Yet Fred has grown stronger and more resolute in his fight for justice, equity and peace.
The Fred of today is more resilient than ever before. He is in the true sense uwesu, wathu-wathu, wesu, wetu, waluna and yowetu, for the voiceless masses.
The Author is General Secretary and First Vice-President of the Opposition Socialist Party in Zambia
I don’t agree with Fred’s political views, but of course he should be free to speak out, without any hindrance whatsoever from whatever government is in power. Both MMD and PF have proven to be deadscared of Fred, and have used all tricks to silence him. Edgar China Lungu is the first to be called back, as it his police force plus agencies who have been instructed to “control” Fred. Don’t be a coward Edgar, face Fred head on! But I guess you are too scared to be confronted with the truth…..
Champagne socialist who at one point thought he controlled this country from his newspaper. Kuwayawaya fye.
Just go into farming ba mmembe and do us all a favour
Just go into farming ba mmembe and do us all a favour. Kaizar
Indeed he has the interest of Zambians at heart. This so called patriot is the same person who was not paying taxes to the government. What a sham.
The problem with socialists, they think fighting USA or western european ideas is what will make them stay in power forever, but most of them only end up making their citizens suffer due to their cold war mentality.
A wife praising her husband. Not very objective.
Hey, Mushota disappeared and Kaizar Zulu appeared.
Mmembe is not a patriot he is also not a socialist because he was a capitalist until his businesses were closed by PF, a party he helped win the election.
Yes Fred M’membe was a true Zambian patriot during the WEEKLY POST and THE POST formative days, when he teamed up with seasoned journalist in the likes of Amos Malupenga, late Bright Mwape and Joe Mwiinga then the Newspaper used to champion or practice what the public called “INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM”. I remember how the paper unearthed the “CARRINGTON MAIZE SCANDAL (THE MATRIX)” and THE BULAYA DRUG SCANDAL just to highlight a few stories.
But up until the NEWSPAPER resorted to practicing what was termed as “SPECULATIVE” and or “INSUANATION” JOURNALISM with screaming banner headlines about innocent people for all wrong things than everything was lost of him. In my opinion the moment he teamed up with the CARTEL members, he thought he was untouchable. Yes he might have stepped on the…
CONTINUED : on the toes of likes of SUPER KEN, Late FTJ, LEVY, MICHAEL including RUPIA and ECL intentionally/unintentionally but things have a limit. “MWIKALA PATALALA MWINE APATALALIKA” so Bemba saying says.
Who is mushota and how does he relate to me?
Who is mushota and how does he relate to me? Kz
Fred Mmembe made this country better through his The Post newspapers. Corrupt politicians had a bit of fear then not the shameless daylight corruption being exhibited under this Lungu man.
Somehow, somewhere Fred Mmembe lost it when he teamed up with Michael Sata and sacrificed all that he stood for all these years. It turns out it is Michael Sata’s political party that swallowed him.
Fred Mmembe is a really good case study for students of history, politics, business and social sciences.
But I think Zambia is worse off without The Post – Fact!
Mmembe is just a thief. Just like any thieving Zambian politcians. While with his newspaper THE POST hé was involved in frauding with millions of kwachas. That led to the disgraceful closure of the newspaper.
Then we have another thief called Kelvin.(KBF).The man who used to cash in fake cheques with Commercial Bank. Another politician called Chishimba Kambwili is now facing court charges over fraud. Not to mention another criminal called HH. The man who sold and pocketed millions after selling Zambian mines at the expense of poor Zambians who are now left without any job activities. Of course, the most corrupt President called Chiluba allowed this sad phase of our history. The present President Lungu is now swimming in money with his minister of thieves called Chilufya. Zambia is yet to…
So who isn’t a true Zambian patriot? We all are ba Musumali. Eimwe ba propagandist bakwa Fred?