DEFENCE Minister Geoffrey Mwamba has given an online local publication, The Zambian Watchdog, seven days to retract a recent report suggesting that he and Finance Minister, Alexander Chikwanda travelled to London to be by President Michael Sata’s bedside whom it alleged was hospitalised.
Mr Mwamba said the report was misleading to the Zambian people and the world at large because President Sata went to London on a private visit and had never gone on leave since he became President.
The minister said if the Zambian Watchdog would not retract the posted report within seven days, he would engage law enforcement agencies to apply appropriate action in accordance with the law.
He said he and Mr Chikwanda went to London to attend a graduation ceremony of his son, Muma who had graduated “with honours” in business economics at Manchester University.
He said they only met President Sata once while in London and that he was in good health.
The minister said The Zambian Watchdog should apologise for deliberately choosing to mislead the world.
Mr Mwamba, who was accompanied by Mr Chikwanda, his wife Chama, his son Muma and former Chimwemwe Member of Parliament Willie Nsanda, was speaking on arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport from London yesterday.
“I have given this online publication a seven-day ultimatum to retract this falsehood or face the long arm of the law.
“I, Mr Chikwanda and some of my relatives went to attend a graduation ceremony of my son, Muma, who graduated on July 14 at Manchester University and has been in London for four years,” he said.
Mr Mwamba said he used his own resources to sponsor the trip to London and that no Government funds were used because he was a responsible citizen.
He said Zambian Watchdog proprietors should realise that whatever report they posted was viewed worldwide and could create wrong impressions.
“Such reports should come to an end. As Government, we know who is circulating these falsehoods and our law enforcement agencies are moving closely,” he said.
Mr Mwamba and Mr Chikwanda who are on leave until July 31, 2012, appealed to Zambians to ignore defamatory online publications, which has become a habit, saying Mr Sata was determined to develop the country.
[Times of Zambia]
Masipa
Rotten!
VIVa watchdog you make these people spend sleepless nights thinking about how to erase you. the point is, they have no capacity to bring you down not even ZICTA. do they Know that your website is not in zambia despite it been called zambianwatchdog? teach them a lesson. they ascended to power through lies? am one of the people who voted for them and am regretting to see that the only benefit my vote has brought is realignments of ministries and creation of new districts instead of new jobs. AM FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED
The ministers of Finance and Defense went for a graduation ceremony for my son. We really dont have much work to do in Cabinet.
Test the president’s health and see if it is fine. Some people will go to the gtave denying that they are sick!
Enisha masipa a tou ye.
This is suspicious
1.why go with top PF officials to a graduation.
2.Who paid for the airfare I wonder.Perhaps GBM should prove that it wasn’t taxpayers money used
3.Who was acting as president since the president decided to go on a ‘private’ visit,the one who acts as vice president also went on a ‘private’ visit….did Guy Scott finally act?
4.GBM’s son has done well to look after his body
sinono sa lyangunuka
ZWG FOREVER.CONTINUE BU-NG””ANG””AZI OR MILLING MAIZE BWANA.YOU WON””T MANAGE.
Am planin on selling the story as a script 4 a Nigerian movie!
LOL………..
“President Sata went to London on a private visit and had never gone on leave since he became President.” A “private” visit ==> leave. Who was paying for this? Me! My tax payer’s money.
Surely it is about time that PF got busy. Please do something. Anything!
Your tax payers money koma you live in South Africa? Okay.
Congratulations Muma…but eesh there is more to meet the eye. Finance minister and businessman being sponsored to a graduation ceremony of the son of the minister of defence; and they are all related? They meet the president in London. No further comnets.
its like these people have hacked helozambia.com! does anyone know the reason why the website is offline?
The Zambian Watchdog’s days are numbered.why are they operating as HelloZambia.com if they are not hacked?
Dollar
GBM in what capacity are you talking? you are not presidents spoke person, or PF spokesman or even govt spokesman or even statehouse spokesman
You mean The President and yourselves went on unannounced leave? Its only in Zambia where there is such mediocrity.President,MOD and MOF on leave at the same time?
IT WAS NOT THE WATCHDOG.
THATS WHY THEY GAVE YOU A LINK TO AVOID SUCH AND PLAGIARISM.
This confirms HH statement that PF cabinet is full of relatives as said by mwamba..it is a family forest government…
If the PF does not want the nation to speculate about the President’s health, they should be more transparent about what is going on.
please these guys are entitled to leave as well.you mean just because you are a minister you cant go and attend your own son’s graduation people?and yes people get sick and all.levy was sick but he denied it and we all knew it so just cut people some slack.i would love to see how the rest of you would handle being in government.probably just be buying cars and all.atase
You will be spearheading my campaigns in 2017,because I want to contest in 2021
PF has no spin doctors. How can they allow GBM spew such confirmation that they were at the bedside. Two senior ministers going to attend a ceremony for the toddler who bought leakage at Manchester University, when King Dictator is on private visit? I didit realize PF leaders are so dull. Lies are ok, but they must be refined
The best GBM should have done is Zip his mouth. In English, they say “No comment”
You havent even been in government for a year and you are on leave? Two Cabinet ministers on leave to attend a graduation ceremony? So, you are related? And yet you deny accusations of nepotism and tribalism exhibited by the PF?
You claim that the president has never been on leave and yet he was on a private visit? Can Zambians wake up please? Are we going to have this kind of government beyond 2016?
If it happened to Hakainde, he would have been termed tribalist fromTonga bantustan but when a clan of Bemba ministers band together plus the Bemba president, it’s termed normal.Yaka shwa kiya kayawa.Musonda linosi lisa taha,Ngwanyi 11.
By the time Zambians wake up, the govt coffers will be empty. A case of Chiluba/Zamtrop account. Only this time its with more vigour lol
Hippopotamus human being Ok atleast you are coming up GBM we love you
ZWD is worse than dogs. They deserve to be in hell.
viva ZWD….we are very much behind you…by far our best souce of news.. am alreadly glued to it actually. they should close the facking POST instead.
HH,NEVERS MUMBA,MILUPI AND SATA all these are facing criticism from you people.I think just vote for me in 2021 I will tell you the political party i am forming after next year.Let me say it again,people who rule Zambia are not known.Hard luck though to your political allegiance.
Defence minister on leave.Finance minister on leave.President on leave 10 months in power!!!
Meanwhile poverty levels 80%,unemployment 80%+,150th/169 poorest country!!!
…Zambia shall not be saved!!!
Government of relatives for relatives by Zambians.Shame.
Guys do not write articles of these sites,they are boring to read especially on Zambia Watch Dog.If you want to air your views even two words are enough e.g HH or SATA crap lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
on these sites
ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT SATA AND PF MADE A GRAVE MISTAKE BY LETTING LOOSE THOSE WHO COMMITTED CRIMES IN THE PREVIOUS GVT ALL IN THE NAME OF SHOWING THE WEST THAT ZAMBIA IS DEMOCRATIC. THE FIRST THINGS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE. REMOVE RB’s IMMUNITY AND PROSECUTE HIM, HIS SONS AND OTHERS WHO RAPED ZAMBIA’s ECONOMY WITHOUT WASTING TIME AND QUICKLY TURN TO DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES. THAT WOULD HAVE SENT AN EFFECTIVE RIGHT MESAGE EVERY ZAMBIAN AND NON ZAMBIANS ALIKE. ITS COMMON SENSE- THE CRIMINALS WHO CURRENTLY RUNNING LOOSE ARE THE ONES SPONSORING UNNECESSARY ANARCH AND REBELIONS. AS LONG AS THESE UN CONVICTED CRIMINALS (RB AND GROUP) ARE STILL LOOSE THE GOVT WILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP ZAMBIA OR SIMPLY FAIL. PLS REMOVE RB’s IMMUNITY AND PROSECUTE HIM TOGETHER WITH OTHER ‘RAPERS’.
How do they do that when they are busy going to the UK on personal trips. What seriousness is there enough to even THINK of doing that? Its all the same thieves
Get life ba chimbwi and this ka imbwa online publication is full of shit! Bakavale chabe tione kwamene mwazayamba kupangila ba imbwa imwe. You like yapy yapy too much ba watch dog and with your useless stories. Lusaka Times is balanced atleast.
The boy graduated “with honours”? Meaning? Did the Minister mean BSc/BA [honours]?
Two ministers and the president on leave at the same time and all end up in the same country at the same time? Is it true that the president missed the AU meeting in Ethiopia? If it is true, why?
tell your post to do the same also
tou ye fubelu,takalu yebona zamasheleni ni mulena sitongwani ka ufela bainzi fa pumulo.lusika lolulubusa ki lwa kakai? kwa mfwae,kwaluiwa,sichifulo,kapa kwa lower zambezi?kutaha cwani kuli lusika lulinwi lubuse naha
the family forest how come they all found theselves in uk at the same time and yet when they come back home they start denouncing the colonialist.even mugabe doesn’t resist going to uk.try to do the shopping in mid east but be careful not to shop landmines there.
Close down the zambian watchdog… and arrest those two former Munali boys students paid for by hh and his business associates to denounce the government… the security for this wacthdog website is not top of the rang and can easily be taken down, COME ON GOVERNMENT!!!
just close the sem Times of Govnt in power…
Hey! Is Manchester University in London? Here is what the story says “Muma, who graduated on July 14 at Manchester University and has been in London for four years,” he said” Either LT doesnt know where this university is or GBM is just a naive person.
@#3, Maize or Manure?
It is total disgrace that the Minister did not read the source of this information. I personally saw a few lines of he article on watchdog with a link to the full article. I think Watchdog consider suing for the threats from the Minister.
chiwamila galu , hah so u can direct the long arm of the law coz u r above the law.
PF cabinet ministers ain’t the sharpest of tools in the kitchen drawer,GBM has just dug a deeper hole for his relative/boss as he has not stated what the president was doing there in the first place which still raises more suspicious & he has just provided us with a treasure chest of information on the inner workings of these guys in Govt.
What’s equally daunting here is the fact that the two ministers from the most sensitive cabinet ministries were out of the country together at the same time (nothing do with public funds) & to add salt to the wound the president was also AWOL for 7days. Where is the work ethic? As I’m typing these two ministers are still on holiday barely a year in Govt.; what have they achieved to deserve lengthy holidays….only in Zambia.
Wake up people!!
*….which still raises more suspicion…
What qualifications does one need to become a successful politician?
Zambia is a blessed country with natural resources envied by many that can bring in billions; tourism that can bring in billions; educated Zambians that can put up successful businesses and industry and create employment…the list is endless.
Why are we failing?
The picture above and the names say it all – Zambian political leadership for you!
– a picture is worth a thousand words
– seeing is believing
– seeing is very different from being told
Best that next time GBM heeds # 20 and simply says “No comments.”
There are Political, Religious, Educational, Social and Technological (PREST) reasons for “No comments!”
KK’s “One Zambia, One Nation” thrown out of the London double-decker bus!
NO WONDER SOLDIERS ARE BEEN FORCED TO BUY TRACK SUITS @K600,000.00 THROUGH THE PAYROLL!!!!
There are countless pressing issues on the table that require the full cabinet attention and the two most influential ministers are on the table are on sabbatical, just yesterday buffoon Kambwili was talking about this wasteful National Service scheme and he stated that they were awaiting a Cabinet meeting to iron issues. So what’s the hold-up I ask ..if the defence minister whose ministry this wasteful scheme falls under and the man from the treasury who signs the cheques are both on holiday till the end of the month; I don’t see any inroads till August.
Don’t worry Mr. Minister. We already forgot about that story. In fact you are reminding us for nothing really. You are the one trying to make it a big story.
DOKOTA UNZA
Spot on…that picture there just says it all and the sudden graduate vacancy that’s probably emerged at the Finance Ministry. A Finance Minister in Europe today would be torn to pieces by the press and the public if he took the selfsame holiday as everyone is working twice as very hard to correct the budget deficit. One would be mistaken for thinking Zambia is well off yet will depend on them to balance our budgets; when one is furnished with such images.If what GBM has stated there is correct, he has taken 4 weeks holiday which is just utterly ludicrous for a public official, that’s the number holidays CEOs in the private sector enjoy in a whole year.
So Muma-son-of a GBM is going to be appointed as deputy minister or ambassador like his sister who was selling bus tickets at intercity?
If this minister of defence feels aggrieved by the Zambia watchdog he should do the normal thing, sue the online publication. For him to say, ‘he would engage law enforcement agencies to apply appropriate action in accordance with the law’ sounds like abuse of authority to unleash instant justice using defence forces. Would he engage law enforcement agencies if he were not a minister of defence?
I dont care about what they went to do their, my concern is mr presido, look at other parts of zambia as well we all voted you know. you can not be surrounded only by family members please, look at that picture, very soon that boy like masebo’s boy will be a diplomat somewhere. we are watching… from afar.
living large babe ,enjoy its your time.
Now that Muma is back in the country Mwamba Nsofu uleke ulolwino ulobe lwakula puma abakashi everyday. Muma kuti aisa loza mo ikofi mu cilufumo chobe icho icaba kwati ni likishi la ndondo! Now now now, all these people arte related. Is this not an Ituri forest we are talking about now?
WHEN WE SAY THIS GOVT IS A FAMILY FOREST PIPO DOUBT.GBM HAS JUST CONFIRMED FOR US HOW DEEP ROOTED THE FOREST IS.KELE LUMIZIBA MINA LIKOKWANI TUWE.
im coming back to Zambia to form a Political party or join a progresive party. PF was voted in power to correct the wrong. But they are busy quarralling with MMD and online publications. PF should focus on developing this country and their condemnation will die down. Zambia must surely be saved.
Pf is NOT the best party to rule Zambia.
Mr Mwamba and Mr Chikwanda are blood relatives, shame to you gossipers and Mr Mwamba has the money not the kind of money HH has which came from swindling. Mr Mwamba is a credible business man, and he earned his money, so please spare the man.
Only God knows for how long our President will live, your speculations will not help. God gave us this President for a purpose and He will ensure that purpose will come to pass. Mr Sata is a blessing to our country from the hands of God, whether you speak ill about him God will purposely keep him to complete the intended purpose.
HH is a better manager though. He does not batter women as well.
Great Bag of Maize! This character is morbidly obese. We Africans think this is good milile but it’s actually a death sentence. And now he’s threatening ZWD? Someone should remind him that ZWD only posted a link from Helo Zambia so that’s where Humpty Dumpty should be focusing his futile efforts.
whats wrong with him inviting friend snd relatives for his Son Graduation?He is a pround father,its not easy to Graduate with honors especially if your dad is very rich,look at the other son Chilekwa,he i a junk.
Excellent web site. Lots of helpful info here. I am sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thank you on your sweat!