PS at Ministry of information & Media THABO KAWANA warns HOT FM Radio

Duration: 8:10 1078 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

Thabo Kawana, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Media in Zambia, has issued a stern warning against orchestrated violence aimed at destabilizing the government ahead of upcoming elections. He asserts that recent violent incidents are not spontaneous acts by the public but rather carefully planned, rehearsed, and implemented strategies designed to paint President Mutharika's administration in a negative light. Kawana explains that even police responses involving tear gas or dispersal tactics are part of this premeditated plan, as perpetrators intentionally provoke law enforcement reactions to create an illusion of widespread disorder. He specifically identifies Western, Northwestern, and Southern provinces as targeted regions where political actors are allegedly using party cardholders to stage mayhem under the guise of opposition activities, intending for these actions to be blamed on the ruling government and its president. The spokesperson directed a specific critique at Hot FM radio station, accusing it of functioning essentially as an unpaid public relations arm for the National Union Party (NUP), which he claims is merely a rebranded version of the Patriotic Front (PF). He argues that the station's breakfast show serves as a daily decampaigning tour against the president by exclusively playing messages and songs from this political party while presenting biased news coverage. Kawana challenges anyone to prove that Hot FM has paid for its airtime, noting that Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, who owns the radio station, is also the chairperson of the NUP party. He warns that listeners are being misled into believing there is only one dominant political force in the country and urges them not to accept this propaganda as truth without scrutiny. Kawana emphasized the importance of peace maintained over recent years under President Mutharika's leadership, highlighting how the president entered office after enduring torture and imprisonment yet chose a path of forgiveness rather than revenge. He recounted instances where citizens who were told they would not be welcome in various regions turned out to greet him with thousands upon his arrival, demonstrating the genuine support for peace he has fostered. The minister warned that opposition parties are planning to mar the election results by inciting violence so they can later claim intimidation and demand a recount or invalidation of votes. He called on all citizens, especially young people, to avoid participating in such schemes regardless of their political affiliation, reminding them that involvement could lead to arrest and cause them to miss important national celebrations like Independence Day. In conclusion, the Ministry has pledged to take decisive action against anyone involved in planning or executing these violent plots, promising to arrest individuals irrespective of whether they wear shirts representing UPND, PF, Nalikupu, or any other political group. Kawana stressed that the government is fully aware of these coordinated efforts and is prepared to counter them effectively to ensure a free and fair electoral process. He appealed directly to Zambians not to be manipulated by unrepentant violent characters who seek to undermine democracy through chaos, reiterating that the nation knows its history regarding those born out of violence. The final message was one of firm resolve: while opponents may try to use fear and disorder to influence the election outcome, the government will stand united with the people to protect peace and ensure that leadership is not undermined by manufactured crises.

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Ladies and gentlemen of the press just as my colleague has alluded to government is aware of a plan by political players to try and paint this government and particularly the president black as the country is going towards elections. And we want to make it very clear that two things are for certain. Number one that these violent periodic violent incidents that you are seeing are orchestrated. They are planned. They are practiced. They are rehearsed [clears throat] and they are implemented. Even where you see police getting involved and discharging tear gas it is because the deliberate plan is equally to engage the police and ensure that the police react. The police have a way of reacting to public disorder. So if you go, for example, in Western Province, you pick up sand and throw it to the face of the police the police's reaction is to disperse you and they will tear gas you. But all these we are aware that are planned and they are planned in specific regions and three in Western, Northwestern and Southern. We are aware also that now that they will be moving to Southern Province they have a plan that even in Southern Province they will be attacked. In fact they are attacking themselves. They are getting their political party carders to cause trouble, cause mayhem, and put on regalia of the ruling party so that then the ruling party is blamed. And when you blame the ruling party, in essence, you are blaming government. And when you blame government, you are actually blaming the president who is a candidate. Their hope is that at the end of the day, the president should not be voted for because Zambians are all violent. But Zambians know who was born out of violence. Who was bred out of violence? Who bred the violence? The Zambians know. The Zambians will not forget who was beating up people in the markets, in the bus stops. And if that were not enough, people were beaten in churches as they worshipped. These are violent characters, unrepentant, and will never change. And some of these media houses are taking advantage and wanting to run with that propaganda. And you claim that you went out in the public, you spoke to people, and all the voice pops that you are playing is people condemning the president. Because we are in a campaign period, and you want the president to become decampaigned and painted black. It will not do. And in this particular case, I want to call out the Hot FM radio station. The entire breakfast show is nothing but a decampaign tour against the president. EVERY DAY, NO, THIS HH, this HH, he must go. He must go. If you even monitor Hot FM just for half a day, you will notice that they are practically a public relations unit of the party that is fielding Mr. M'membe. I don't know the name of the It's Is it NPU? What what NUP? NUP? I can't understand I don't I don't read it. But basically it's PF. >> [snorts] >> Which is in that form. It's the same PF but just a different name. That radio station, the Hot FM, is propagating to try and mislead the public. If you listen to them, you may think in this country there's only one political party. They play messages of that political party. They play songs of that political party. Their news is about that political party. The same one, the one which is PF which has changed its name. That's all they do. And one may be misled to think that well, that political party has paid for that airtime. I can stand here and challenge anyone to show me if they have paid a cobble to the to the to the radio station. And I say so because we are aware. And the country may be or may not be aware that Hot FM is actually owned by Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba. Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba is the chairperson in that same NUP NUP party. >> [clears throat] >> So if you you are chairman in NUP party and you own the radio station and the radio station is propagating that political party, I dare anyone to show me that they have paid for that airtime. It's nothing but a propaganda tool and a public relations unit for the ceremonial people party. Ladies and gentlemen, we have come a long way. For 5 years peace has been maintained in this part in this country. We have a president that has held this country together. And that is evidenced from the way he's been received every corner of the country. He was told, "You are not welcome in the north." Thousands of people welcomed him in the north. You were told you are not welcome in Muchinga. You are not welcome in Chipata. You are not welcome in Kasama. You are not welcome in Mansa. He went there. And the people received him in their thousands with love. It's because the people know that the peace they have enjoyed over the 4 years is because a man that went into office off the backdrop of being beaten, being tortured, being thrown into prison for endless days for no crime at all, came out of prison, became president, and said no revenge. You revenge you are on your own. That's leadership. And that's why we are where we are in a peaceful country. So, we know that the plan is that since they know that these PF in this party are losing, they want this election to be marred with violence so that then they come and say that we lost because people were intimidated and the election was marred with violence. We will not allow it. And like my colleague has said, police are urged to arrest everybody regardless of political affiliation. Whether you are putting on a UPND t-shirt, whether you are putting on a PF t-shirt, whether you are putting on an Nalikupu t-shirt, you will be arrested. So, I urge you young people of Zambia think twice. Be there to vote. Don't be in prison. You even miss your October celebrations on Independence Day. For what? Stay away from trouble. And everyone who is planning this together with them should know that we are aware. And we are also planning to receive them. Thank you very much.