Chanda Chimba III talking point at Press Freedom day

What was saddening at this year’s World Press Freedom celebrations was that the day of introspection in light of media challenges was reduced to the usual shadow-boxing with a bias this time around on one Chanda Chimba. Guest of Honor Minister of Information who is also chief Government spokesperson, Fackson Shamenda would have been employed the same amount of energy used in attacking Chanda Chimba in informing the gathered media practitioners that government has taken on board self styled specialized journalists as its aide in various capacities. Hehehehehe, I mean close allies all in the name of news, as a more than a dozen of a-private-media-institution-employees now hold government positions. Additionally, the Honorable, whether the term befits his status or not is reserved for another day to discuss but what was more saddening is that the Minister chose to ignore with impunity the recent dismissal of some colleagues(journalists) at some government controlled media institution. The comrades have been retired while in the infancy/toddler stage of their profession, as young, as 28. All this was blanketed and carpeted. This deceptive “Donchi Kubeba” culture of secrecy is not doing the country any good. This is truly surviving by their election theme. Discussing the existence of the compromised media bodies would be a worst of time because three-quarters of them are job seekers like they say patient like a vulture waiting to feed off the weaknesses of others overwhelmingly loyal to the current government. Is this what we call integrity? I wished for a moment that I did not exist because of this political rhetoric at its highest degree at such an important occasion. The only reason Chanda Chimba is not behind bars, as of today is because there is nothing criminal about what he was doing, defamation is purely a civil matter, pay a fine everything is history and therefore one cannot be jailed if convicted unless they fail to satisfy the judgment. Chanda Chimba, is what the Minister while in his air conditioned room is preoccupied with at the expense of the tax payers? How I wish they could have a way to withdraw my contribution to the national treasury. As Zambians, we love to bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich living in our own country like people in transit or purely visitors. I just wish we were ourselves. I feel sad that I am part of the ignorant people who don’t understand our rights. I will be back to talk about our portentous Foreign Affairs Minister, Given Lubinda with his numerous trips....You remember, not long ago how, Honourable Lubinda was busy condemning Rupiah Banda, Former Head of State, that he is a kamwendo munjila(globe trotter )? Just thinking aloud…..