KAMBWILI TALKS NONSENSE
By BENNIE MUNDANDO THE democratic space in Zambia which is available to even those that want to exercise their right to talk nonsense like Chishimba Kambwili is an indication that we have a tolerant Government and a tolerant President, special assistant to the president for press and public relations, Amos Chanda has said.
And Mr. Chanda says the presidency will not stoop to the level of copper thieves to start discussing how they got their fortune in response to a barrage of attacks against those in power as the cheap and malicious corruption allegations chorused by those with debased minds were not worth wasting time on.
Featured on Diamond TV on Monday evening, Mr. Chanda stated that proof of democracy in Zambia was everywhere for all to see and that if there had been no tolerance, some of the nonsense that was being said by some disgruntled individuals would not have been uttered.
“Some of the nonsense, I should call it, that we are hearing today, in a state that is led by an intolerant Government, an intolerant President, some of that rubbish, you cannot hear it. So, that is an expression of an existing democratic space available to even those that want to exercise their right to talk nonsense.
“That is the measure of freedom of expression. You have got the right to say what you are saying. I will defend your right to say what you are saying even if I don’t believe in what you are saying. Even if I don’t like what you are saying,” Mr. Chanda said.
He described Mr. Kambwili as an individual who was going about ranting because he did not owe anyone any national responsibility unlike those in power who had a duty to ensuring social cohesion, unity of purpose and tolerance of one another prevailed.
And Mr. Chanda said the presidency would not stoop to the level of copper thieves to start discussing how they got their fortune in response to a barrage of attacks against those in power as the cheap and malicious corruption allegations chorused by those with debased minds were not worth wasting time on.
“Those who have no responsibility like him (Mr. Kambwili), to put society together, can go about ranting in the manner he has done. And you will not expect the President to descend to that level for you to say that he is not corrupt.
“Even those copper thieves have ascended in life and acquired something. But we are not going to descend to the level of how they went there. We will simply say that social mobility entails that you must give citizens an opportunity,” Mr Chanda said
He however expressed concern that the quality of democracy was being degraded by reckless people but was confident that in the final analysis, good would overwhelm and triumph over evil.