Thu, 13 Jul 2017 14:55:05 +0000
By Bennie Mundando
ATTEMPTS to bomb the Daily Nation newspaper by some disgruntled and criminal-minded individuals who are enemies of progress out to intimidate and annihilate the media is wasted effort and we hold hands with the tabloid because it stands for justice and does not deserve this, MMD has said.
MMD national treasurer Christopher Banda described the attempt to bomb the tabloid’s premises as barbaric and that it was engineered by cowards whose plans were to make the country ungovernable in order to realise its dream of a turbulent Zambia but warned that such criminal activities had the potential to boomerang on those being used as “a cat’s pawn”. Mr. Banda said the attack on the newspaper was an attempt to instil fear in the reporters and its proprietor, but advised management and reporters to show the same resilience they had shown all through the years by remaining true to their purpose.
He said having interacted with the personnel at the newspaper, he had faith that the development will only increase their versatility towards work and to further expose evil elements that wanted to hold the country at ransom and urged the police to continue keeping vigil around all institutions that were being targeted by criminals. He said it was wrong for those who were behind the attack to vent their anger on innocent and harmless individuals such as reporters who were only performing their duty of informing masses on what was obtaining in the country adding that while Zambia had made significant strides in upholding the freedom of the press, such people were tarnishing its the image to the outside world.
“We wish to condemn the attack on the newspaper. This is not just a mere attack but an affront to the freedom of the press and democratisation of the country. These people behind these bombs are aiming at nothing but to destroy this country and those they perceive their enemies. We wish to warn them that time is catching up with them and soon they will be brought to book,” Mr. Banda warned.
He said such acts amounted to terrorism and noted that such activities would be futile because Zambia was not ready for turmoil because the citizenry by nature were peaceful people who had conducted themselves well since independence.
