Sata talks about M’membe’s conviction
Patriotic Front president, Michael Sata says the conviction of Post editor-in-chief Fred M’membe on contempt of court was predictable because government has always wanted to silence him.
Mr.M’membe was this morning found guilty by Lusaka Magistrate David Simusamba for contempt of court together with the Post newspapers in connection to an article authored by US-based Zambian professor Muna Ndulo titled “The Chansa Kabwela case:A Comedy of Errors”.
But Mr Sata tells Qfm in an interview that the MMD have always wanted to silence Mr. M’membe.
He says the court’s guilty verdict for the Post editor-in-chief was expected,adding that there is nothing strange about it.
24 Responses to Sata talks about M’membe’s conviction
Go Social
lelo lelo! lelo lelo!
solomon - June 4, 2010
00:34
Will the cadres please just shut up!!!
If M’membe broke the law, he needs to be punished.
Its either you respect the law or you break it.
That is why Zambia cannot progress.
Sata has reason to compain because M’membe is his Campaign Manager.
PLEASE NO MATTER HOW USELESS WE MAY BE AS A COUNTRY — RESPECT LAW
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J2O - June 3, 2010
21:04
The corrupt Movement for Mandrax Dealers (MMD)are celebating with their supporters at the news of hearing Fred M’membe’s conviction!
To the drug dealers am saying you can dance today but you will not live to continue celebrating. Fred is the icon and chapion of the media in zambia let alone Southern Africa as a whole. He has continued to be more focused even when faced with the deadly situation like this one. No one will ever take away to what he has demonstrated over the years bvecause the same people who are cerebrating today will need the Post when their relatives, cocubines sponsors and other corrupt people will be out of power next year in 2011. One thing people needs to realise is that whether PF or UPND is to stand on their own the MMD wil stand no chance of winning next year because their cerebrations will be no more and the issue of going to tyhe courts will start for those plundering the national treasure.
MUFUMBWE - June 3, 2010
20:16
I wonder what leadership given a chance will Serpent Cobra Sata provide if he can defend wrong today? Its ok to point fugures when you not in office. Ask Gordon Brown, Premier, Britain will atest to this fact “Only those who have been Prime Minister of Britain will tell you how challenging the job of a premier is.” So Serpent Cobra Sata don’t show your ignorance and illiteracy on issues in court. May the court of law do its mandate and not that of dirty politicians.
Volcanologist - June 3, 2010
15:57
When Chiluba was acqitted, there was an uproar, understandably. When Kalumba and company were convicted, the judiciary was showered with all manners of praise by some people. Now that their friend has been convicted their arsenal is pointed at MMD. Well, conviction or discharge will always injure or please one group or the other. But it’s always useful to base our reactions on facts on the ground. My belief is that courts arrive at judgments based on facts presented before them by the prosecution and defence. So where does MMD come in? I am not a member of any political party, but I just want to understand how people come up with their points of view in the absence of a balance of opposing sides.
M. Mwanza - June 3, 2010
15:51
Mr Sata tells Qfm in an interview that the MMD have always wanted to silence Mr. M’membe.
HE KNOWS. HE WAS ONCE THAT GOVERNMENT!
THE SAINT - June 3, 2010
15:13
SATA please get real. There is a case found. Are we so dull in Zambia that we can’t see anything for what it is without attaching MMD to it? If I choose to go to a toilet used by Sata sometimes then I must be a PF supporter. If I use a gabbage collector used by State House, then I must be MMD. If I drive three time a day via Los Angeles avenue then I must be Rupiah’s cousin. If I apply for a job at HH’s farm, ooh I must be UPND. Very boring! Membe fucked up and he is even lucky to be released before sentencing. If it were some kambwanga he would have gone into jail the same day.
LASTLY, WHO IS SATA TODAY TO SPEAK IN FAVOUR OF MEMBE WHEN HE ONCE THREATENED TO CLOSE DOWN THE POST SO THAT, USING HIS WORDS, “OUR CHILDREN CAN GROW WITHOUT BEING POISONED BY A DONOR FUNDED EVIL PAPER”. He was National Secretary for MMD then….guess who is talking now!!!
ZWA !! - June 3, 2010
12:29
AND HE EVEN GETS TO GO HOME
bandajackson2 - June 3, 2010
11:16
THE LAW IS THE LAW, FOR A LONG TIME IT SEEMED THAT FRED AND THE POST WERE ABOVE IT. PERHAPS WE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS AS JUSTICE FOR THE MANY TIMES THIS NEWSPAPER HAS TREATED ITS VICTIMS/ TARGETS WITH CONTEMPT. ONE CANNOT ARGUE WITH THE POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION THIS PUBLICATION HAS MADE TO ADVANCE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT IF WE ARE TRULY HONEST THEN WE WILL SAY THAT IN THE LAST 8 YEARS THEY HAVE TRULY LOST ALL ETHICS. THEY USED TO HAVE WELL RESEARCHED MATERIAL BUT NOW ITS JUST PERSONALITY ATTACKS AND WHICH HUNTS.
LET THE LAW TAKE ITS COURSE, EVEN IF IT IS A SUSPENDED SENTENCE!
bandajackson2 - June 3, 2010
11:16
It’s thanks to the same article and many other voices such as Kalaki’s that Kabwela is out on the streets. Your RB saw porno where everyone saw suffering. What a shame! We need people like Fred. He has his mistakes but who does not? Is there news in Times or Daily? Malama, former Daily editor in chief was fired for being professional. He was recently approached for the same job and gladly, he turned it down. This ‘PIG’ is going no where. It’s a sinking ship.
Levy - June 3, 2010
10:41
Levy, somehow you are right. Anthony put them down. Try to discuss as a doctor if you are one. Do not insult us. GOD Bless.
Observer - June 3, 2010
10:28
Anthony, what are you doing on this site? If you truly believe we are backward, can you change us with your stupid text? You are an idiot of a worst kind. I have lived in Europe before. Anyone with a life does not have hours to write rubbish. If you live in Europe, you must be a Zambian civil servant loyal to your PIG, PARTY and IT’S GOVERNMENT.
Levy - June 3, 2010
10:23
Fred Mmembe broke the law and this is the fact!
If you break the law, you face the consequences.
This is a system we embrace in the west and this is what makes us civilized.
Africa on the other hand, is another story!
People want law when it suits them and as such Africa will always remain primitive and backward.
Let the law prevail and let Mmembe get his fair share for disrespecting the laws of the land.
Anthony Lloyd - PhD Anthropology - Oxford UK - June 3, 2010
09:16
RB’s bulldog,
A fantasy deal to nowhere
Observer - June 3, 2010
08:44
We all know that Sata and fred have cut a deal . . . .chisata has a small memory (20kb only)and has completely forgotten all the nonsense Fred wrote about him just a few years ago ….
RB's bulldog - June 3, 2010
08:18
If the tag of a convict will silence Mmembe, let it be so. He should learn not to comment on matters before the courts.He had this coming his way.
Quezu - June 3, 2010
00:52
Satan! awe shikulu muli bafontini! whenever judgement does not suit you, you always have a reason to justify your selfish ambitions. learn to speak less especially that you are advanced in age only and not in education as well. bloody didn’t!
FTJ - June 2, 2010
23:15
Good word Senior Citizen! I love my president RB and I love my country Zambia. Go Forward 2011..
lovemore kabwe - June 2, 2010
22:07
imwe ba Citizen ngefi ifyabupuba mulembele ! nimwe ba youth secretary of the failed MMD? nangu RBs son ?
umuumbu - June 2, 2010
21:06
This is the danger of illiteracy and anti-democratic tyrannies that are being condoned in the democratic space masquerading as leaders. Always their myopic nature looks at everything from a narrow prism of their own allergic nature to democracy, constitutionalism and institutions.
Who would question that Zambia is a model state of burgeoning mature constitutional democracy with an independent justice system? Certainly not a sane person can accuse our seasoned judges in the third arm of democratic Governance of impropriety except an enemy of the people and their democratic institutions.
The country knows that useless Sata has already made up his mind to go in a self imposed exile next year following a 5th time rejection on the ballot. He is subversively promulgating an imaginary crisis against our judiciary and such institutions of democracy in hope of building an era of carnage in the land behind him. All this vain talk is against the fact that ours is an oasis of enduring peace and a pioneer of constitutional democracy in sub-sahara Africa cherished by many.
Zambia is a success democratic story that has tenaciously transformed herself into an institutional democracy with a justice system insulated from any manor of judicial activism as the case is in none democratic states. This is why citizens who vote with a sense of preserving their gains are spirited against risking with undemocratic charlatans to ever preside over democratic Zambia they dearly cherish. Sata must show intra-party democracy and a character to win the confidence of the Zambian voters. No way no how will Zambians ever risk with an anti-democratic cracker as Zambia have come to know Sata with proof over the years.
Learn to respect the independent judiciary and all institutions of democracy in the country. Sata need to stop embarrassing himself with ignorance because to start with, Zambia as a constitutional democracy doesn’t choose like-minded jurists as judges. He should probably belabor to show intellect by making effort in knowing how candid judges are about their philosophies in order to determine how predictable their rulings will be if he thinks otherwise in judicial recourse.
Sata and his surrogates will be stunned to learn that Zambia is indeed an admired successful democracy founded on an independent and professional justice system. The strong and the weak alike are judged on basis of legal evidence and not personality or place in society.
To help Sata and his subverts understand Zambia’s independent justice system is for him to examine the nature and scope of jurisprudence. Let him see whether originalism is being employed in adjudicating cases, as originalism is the dominant school of jurisprudence. The fine men and women in those judicial robes called judges are always being true to originalism of justice.
Sata and his surrogates completely fails to examine how the jurisprudence of the democratic Zambian Court has progressively transformed from operating under a one party system to the originalist justice of a democratic dispensation in any way, which means that to call this conviction of Dr.Katele Kalumba or indeed this subvert with a queer spirit called Mmembe as a tactic of silencing is dangerous incompetency of unqualified mind to the office of the Presidency.
We patriotic Zambians who abhors judiciary activism and subversion treat Sata’s failed thesis too contemptuous and sublevel.
Senior Citizen - June 2, 2010
20:59
can someone shade som e light on this ? whats happening on Saturday regarding the Pact leadership ?
umuumbu - June 2, 2010
20:55
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A CIRCUS. KINDLY STOP INFLUENCING THE JUDICIARY!!!!!!!!!!!!
CHIBWANTU - June 2, 2010
20:38
From Sata’s comments it appears that he is convinced that the courts are not independent. This probably means that should he become president then he will expect them to follow his instructions as well?
Areaboy - June 2, 2010
19:55
Yeah right..PLEASE….Sata oldman take a leaf from your Vice HH and behave like a stateman for once..look before you leap arent you the sameone who sang along when Moleen said she wanted government to investigate LPMs death when she apologised you looked so foolish.
I hope this Saturday HH leads the pact.
manfred - June 2, 2010
19:43