THAT was hooliganism at its worst.
The behaviour of the Ministry of Information Director and spokesperson, Mr Thabo Kawana to storm a radio station and force himself on a programme must be condemned.
Mr Kawana, as a senior government official ought to understand the protocols involved for one to feature on a radio or television programme.
It is not just something you do on an impulse – particularly when it involves political players as was the case yesterday.
His behaviour was uncouth and we hope his employers, the Ministry of Information and Media will take disciplinary action against him.
The ministry, especially its senior officers must be the first ones to appreciate what press freedom and freedom of expression entails.
We do not think his position at the ministry gives him special rights to enter any radio station and interfere with its programmes.
Patriotic Front aspiring presidential candidate Emmanuel Mwamba says the action by Mr Kawana to storm a live radio programme was illegal most especially that he was a senior government officer.
Mr Mwamba has every right to be annoyed by the callous behaviour of Mr Kawana.
Mr Mwamba was featuring on Lusaka Music Radio’s Talk of the City programme when Mr Kawana, who was not invited, stormed the programme to challenge him.
Mr Mwamba said Mr Kawana was offside for interfering in a programme to which he was not invited. Moreover, the radio station is privately-owned and not part of the state-owned ZNBC.
That makes Mr Kawana’s forced entry as criminal trespass as Mr Mwamba noted, and that is something he cannot defend.
The new dawn administration boasts about enhancing press freedom since coming into power that it does not interfere in the operations of media houses. That is now questionable.
Mr Kawana’s behaviour might explain the tendency by UPND cadres of storming and assaulting staff at radio stations featuring figures from the opposition parties.
There must be tacit approval from way up the UPND hierarchy that makes them behave in such a manner, knowing that they are “untouchable.”
In Mr Kawana’s case, one wonders whether he went to the radio station as a civil servant or a spokesperson for the UPND Alliance.
But even if he disagreed with what Mr Mwamba was saying on the radio programme, he should learn to be tolerant of divergent views.
One famous politician in history once said of his opponent: “I might not agree with what you are saying, but I respect your right to voice your opinion.”
That ought to be the guiding principle amongst the country’s politicians across the political divide – they must learn to be good listeners for that is leadership.
Hooligans on the other hand want to silence you – even physically.
Zambians must say no to hooliganism.
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