Post Editor-in-Chief Fred Mmembe has been sentenced to four months imprisonment with hard labour after being found guilty of contempt of court together with the Post Newspapers by a Lusaka magistrate court.

Mr M’membe has also been sentenced to four months simple imprisonment on behalf of the Post Newspapers, after Magistrate David Simusamba set free Post Human Resources Director Rueben Phiri was standing in for the Newspaper.

Passing sentence this morning, Magistrate Simusamba said Phiri could not be the right person to suffer for the Post. He said the sentences will run concurrently meaning Mr M’membe will only serve a four months jail term.[pullquote]Mr M’membe’s defence attorney Mr George Chisanga commented: “It’s really a dark day for press freedom in Zambia.”[/pullquote]

The contempt case arose from an article authored by US-based Zambian law Professor Muna Ndulo titled: ‘The Chansa Kabwela case: A Comedy of Errors’, and published in the paper on August 27, 2009.

Magistrate Simusamba said he jailed Mr M’membe to “reform” and deter would-be offenders. He declined to give Mr M’membe an option of a fine.

Although Mr M’membe had contended in his defence that he was on study leave at the time the article was published, Mr Simusamba said the editor had the capacity to issue instructions or grant authority from anywhere using technology.

Mr M’membe’s defence attorney Mr George Chisanga commented: “It’s really a dark day for press freedom in Zambia.”

“I just want to say that we understand what is going on. We fully know what is going on and we are ready for it,” said Mr M’membe.

Mr M’membe lawyers Remmy Mainza and George Chisanga have applied for bail pending appeal after filing a notice of appeal yesterday in the High Court.
M’membe, clad in a checked blue shirt and jeans, was led to prison by warders immediately after the sentencing. Mr M’membe is detained in police custody pending the outcome of his bail application.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Africa Program Coordinator Mr Tom Rhodes said: “Fred M’membe’s conviction appears to be part of the ongoing harassment against The Post since President Rupiah Banda came into office in 2008.”

“This undermines Zambia’s democratic credentials and we call on the administration to drop all legal proceedings against The Post,” stated Mr Rhodes.

The Patriotic Front United Party for National Development pact has demanded that Health Deputy Minister Dr. Solomon Musonda should be arrested and detained in police custody.

Patriotic Front spokesperson Given Lubinda has urged the police to act swiftly and arrest the minister as what he did was a a criminal act.

He said that failure to arrest Dr. Musonda will result in the government influencing the outcome of the investigation.

Mr. Lubinda has further castigated Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha who said that the shooting of the youth should not be politicized.

He said that the incident itself was politically motivated and that the pact will use politics to ensure that justice prevails in the case.

Mr. Lubinda has since defended the youth who was shot by the police as saying that he was not armed as alleged by the MMD Chitambo Member of Parliament.

Speaking on last evening, Mr. Lubinda explained that the alleged PF cadre was one of the youths who were repairing the dilapidated roads and merely asking for money from road users.

And speaking on the same programme, spokesperson of the UPND said that the pact is not in a hurry to choose a presidential candidate.

Charles Kakoma said that they pacts main objectives are to address challenges that the country is address.

And Zambia Daily Mail reports that Government has advised the Patriotic Front (PF) to stop politicising the shooting and wounding of Jackson Musaka of Lubembe village in Serenje by Deputy Minister of Health Solomon Musonda.

[pullquote]“This matter regarding the shooting of Jackson Musaka of Lubembe area in Serenje is currently being handled and investigated by the police because it is a police case. So there is no need whatsoever for the opposition Patriotic Front to politicise the matter,” Lt.Gen Shikapwasha said.[/pullquote]

Chief Government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha said there is no need for the opposition to start politicising the shooting and wounding of Mr Musaka, 25, as the case is currently being handled and investigated by police.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said this when he visited Mr Musaka at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) where he is admitted.

He said the PF should exercise political maturity when handling the case and that the police should be allowed to deal with matter professionally.

“This matter regarding the shooting of Jackson Musaka of Lubembe area in Serenje is currently being handled and investigated by the police because it is a police case. So there is no need whatsoever for the opposition Patriotic Front to politicise the matter,” Lt.Gen Shikapwasha said.

He said it is unfortunate and saddening to note that some people have decided to politicise the shooting and wounding of the PF cadre, instead of praying to God for Mr Musaka’s quick recovery.

“It is unfortunate that this happened but I have to thank God that doctors have managed to remove the bullet from Mr Musaka from his head.

“I am, therefore, asking my colleagues from the political arena to stop politicising the incident to win political capital, but they should put our brother in prayers so that he receives the quickest recovery,” Lt.Gen Shikapwasha said.

Lt.Gen Shikapwasha appealed to the opposition PF to allow the police to carry out its investigations without any political interference.

Meanwhile, UTH public relations officer Pauline Mbangweta said Mr Musaka’s condition is stable compared to last night (Wednesday) and that he is responding to treatment.

[pullquote]“It is unfortunate that this happened but I have to thank God that doctors have managed to remove the bullet from Mr Musaka from his head.[/pullquote]

“Yesterday, the condition of Jackson Musaka was critical. I can confirm now that his condition is stabilising. This is because of the operation which was conducted by doctors who managed to remove the bullet from his head,” Ms Mbangweta said.

And Central Province PF security wing party official George Lemba also confirmed that Mr Musaka’s condition is stable compared to Wednesday night.

“I can confirm that the condition of Musaka has improved as compared to last night (Wednesday) when he was failing to talk. But at night doctors managed to remove the bullet from his head,” he said.

On Wednesday, police recorded a warn-and-caution statement from Dr Musonda

Mwense Central Constituency Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament Jacob Chongo and his Kankoyo counterpart Percy Chanda are living in fear after receiving death threats from some Mufulira-based suspected members of their party.

The duo said some suspected PF members had been threatening to beat them up if they did not stop what they termed as destabilising the opposition party.

Mr Chongo said in an interview that some people tipped the parliamentarians last weekend that some PF cadres were plotting to cause harm to the two MPs and their property.

The two parliamentarians, who live in Mufulira’s mine area, said although they had received threats in the past, they were concerned with the recent ones which came after some PF members met at the weekend at a club belonging to a named party member.

It is alleged that some party officials had directed some cadres to “deal” with the two parliamentarians for allegedly destabilising the party.

Mr Chongo, who said he had reported the matter to Mufulira Central Police station, warned that the PF leadership in the district would be held responsible if the MPs or their property were harmed.

Efforts to get Copperbelt police chief Antoneill Mutentwa proved futile as his mobile phone went unanswered.

“I have been informed by some people who attended the meeting that some party members have been instructed to target us for destabilising the party.

“The truth of the matter is that we are being sidelined and it’s not possible for us to destabilise the party,” he said.

Mr Chongo said he was aware that some top officials in the PF were not happy that the targeted MPs had disobeyed the party’s directives to withdraw from the National Constitutional Conference.

Meanwhile, the family of the late Chifubu Constituency MP Benson Bwalya has appealed to PF vice-president Guy Scott and the opposition party cadres to learn to show respect to the dead.

The late PF MP’s widow, Maggie, said in an interview in Ndola yesterday the family was saddened by Dr Scott and some PF cadres’ conduct which led to the disruption of the burial ceremony.

Mr Bwalya, 50, a ‘rebel’ PF MP, who defied the party order not to attend the NCC was buried on Wednesday at Kansenshi Cemetery in Ndola.

Mrs Bwalya said her late husband, who served the country as MP and a Zambia army soldier deserved a befitting send off rather than being victimised by people like Dr Scott even in death.

“The behaviour of Dr Scott, who did not even take time to visit the funeral house before and after the burial does not portray the good picture of the PF leadership. The PF leaders did not make any attempt to restrain their party cadres from causing confusion at the grave yard,” she said.

Provincial youth chairperson Menyani Zulu threatened to beat PF ‘rebel’ MP spokesperson Peter Machungwa after he was given a chance to address mourners and disrupted the burial ceremony.

Speaking during the burial ceremony earlier, Dr Scott made remarks suggesting that the late MP was a ‘naughty, prodigal son’, who was ungrateful after being given a chance to contest elections on the PF ticket.
[ Time of Zambia ]

Ms Siliya warned against making a mistake by voting into office the alliance headed by Mr Hakainde Hichilema and Michael Sata in next year’s elections because of the insults the two leaders had promoted in their politics.

Ahead of the launch of the pact tomorrow, Ms Siliya said the alliance lacked real leadership and experience to prosper the economy to the next level because the two leaders were just good at insults.

Addressing MMD supporters and other residents at Chisonso Middle Basic School in Petauke, Ms Siliya said President Rupiah Banda’s Government had recorded massive economic growth which must be protected.

She explained that the people of Eastern Province and the rest of the country did not require anyone to campaign to them because of the infrastructure development which the Government was putting up.

Ms Siliya said during elections, both the PF and UPND leaders frequented the countryside seeking votes but never returned after elections which showed that they lacked the true agenda for the people.

Ms Siliya, who is minister of Education told the residents that the MMD did not perform well at Chisonso Middle Basic School and wondered what the people really wanted.

She reminded Zambians that some politicians were merely power-hungry and should not be taken seriously to avoid regrets.

Ms Siliya said leaders who lived on insults were not good for national stability which President Banda was already providing.

Meanwhile, MMD Eastern Province chairperson for women’s affairs Martha Mulenga urged Zambians to remember that President Banda was already in State House and providing development.

She said the president should be given a block vote by the people of Eastern Province to show appreciation for his efforts in developing Zambia.

The maturity that had been shown by the people in the province by voting for leaders irrespective of their tribes should continue.
[ Times of Zambia ]

Government says it has received 110 application for new radio stations and 10 for private television stations.

Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, Ronnie Shikapwasha says the government is waiting for the Independence Broadcasting Act (IBA) to be passed in parliament and the appointment of the board to start processing the applications and subsequently issue the licenses.

Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that the processing and issuance of licenses will be done as soon as the IBA is taken to parliament in the next sitting.

He said of the ten Television stations that have applied, five have applied for Christians broadcasting stations and want them established in Lusaka and the Copperbelt Provinces.

The Minister has also disclosed that three pay television providers similar to MultiChoice have also applied for the licenses.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha further said other parts of the country such as Eastern and Western Provinces, which were previously shunned have also received overwhelming response for the establishment of the stations.

He said 10 applications have been received from Chipata alone and commended the private sector and the community for the good response.

Lt. Gen. said this has been realized with support from PANOS, UNICEF and other donor agencies.

He said the development is good and will help to the citizens have easy access to information.

He said government will continue playing a facilitatory role in the establishment of both radio and television stations to bridge the information gap.

He has since called on the citizens to seek help from PANOS and others to establish more radio and Television stations in the country.

Meanwhile Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha has disclosed that government has set up a task force to oversee the movement from analog to digital migration.

Gen. Shikapwasha said the team will also ensure that the country is not polluted with unwanted equipment during the migration.

He said the country is on the right direction and remained confident that it will realize this goal by 2015.

Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said his ministry is working with other ministries like the Ministry of Communications and Transport in this area.

ZANIS