´Don’t Arrest Kangombe´ says Pastor Kennedy Mambwe
From The Analysis Kbntv-04.12.23
Pastor Kennedy Mambwe, the CEO of Kbntv has beseeched state police to stop a veiled scheme to arrest Kamfinsa Legislator veiled Christopher Kangombe on trumped up charges of inciting the public to assault government.
On his widely followed television platform, ´The Analysis´ where he features with Ambassador Anthony Mukwita hosted by Innocent Phiri, Pastor Mambwe said the planned arrest of member of parliament Kangombe would further shrink the already thin democratic space in Zambia.
Pastor Mambwe also described as sad, the arrest and detention without bail of Zambian online editor Thomas Zyambo who runs a controversial ´investigative ´online newspaper called ´The Whistle Blower´.
“We condemn the ongoing machinations of trying to arrest Kamfinsa MP hon. Kangombe as much s we condemn the arrest of journalist Thomas Zyambo whom we feel must be released immediately unconditionally,” the firebrand TV owner Mambwe said.
On the same programme, Ambassador Anthony Mukwita a published author and former Editor in Chief who has won international media and diplomacy awards implored Zambia´s President Hakainde Hichilema to show empathy regarding the death of some 50 illegal miners in the Copperbelt province of Zambia instead of attending an environment conference in Dubai that could have been attended by an ambassador.
“When a life is lost, it doesn’t matter how many lives are lost,” Ambassador Mukwita said, “President Hichilema must find it in his heart to stop everything he is doing to show empathy to the families that have lost their beloved bread winners that’s what good leaders do.”
Ambassador Mukwita said much as Mr Hichilema was so loved that he won a landslide in 2021 with over 2 million votes, Zambian voters may start questioning the President regarding his capacity for ´emotional intelligence´, a crucial ingredient to leadership.
Ambassador Anthony Mukwita stated that the death of some 60 illegal miners is a symptom of a broken economy in Zambia that has the worst performing currency in the world.
The Analysis panel discussed various socio-political-economic issues but remained cautious of the fact that despite the law providing for freedom of the press, anyone that utters words President Hichilema doesn’t like can get arrested in Zambia today, as ably demonstrated by state police.
The list of arrested and detained perceived enemies of President Hichilema, the seventh President of Zambia is on the rise with civil rights groups and churches sounding alarm that no administration has arrested so many dissenters in two years as President Hichilema has done in the entire 59-year history of Zambia for the first time.
MP Kangombe according to insiders may face arrest for simply stating that if Zambians cannot be allowed to express themselves through existing legal channels such as the courts of law, parliament of or public demonstrations, they may create another avenue to show dissent.
Hon. Kangombe´s statement is not different from the statement Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba made regarding mass demonstrations that got him arrested overnight.
Arresting political or people with dissenting has become normal in Zambia once seen as the last bastion of democracy in Africa, with free expression becoming an expensive and luxurious good.
Many Zambians according to political pundits now prefer to stay quite and safe than speak with dissent in public for fear of arrest under President Hichilema´s administration with sixth President of Zambia Edgar Lungu recently warning that, “No one will be spared.”
The full interview is available on KBNTV channel 279 and Facebook page.