. Kambwili

By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE  –
Information and Boradcasting Services Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo, his brother Anthony and Youth and Sport Minister Chishimba Kabwili have dragged the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and its chairperson John Mulwila to court for defamation of character.
Mr Kambwili, and the Kasolo brothers are claiming damages and are also demanding that ZNBC and Dr Mulwila render a public apology to them for allegedly accusing them of harassing staff at the national broadcaster.
They said that the allegations have subjected them to shame and ridicule, as a lot of people, Government ministers, legislators and civic organisations have joined in condemning them through ZNBC.
They have further asked the Lusaka High Court to grant them an injunction to restrain Dr Mulwila and ZNBC from uttering or making any further statements relating to the issue.
Mr Kambwili and the Kasolo brothers further want the court to order ZNBC and Dr Mulwila to pay them special damages for defamation of their characters and reputations.
They have stated in a writ of summons filed in the principal registry that on the material day they had a meeting with acting ZNBC director news and current affairs Kenneth Maduma to correct a news item referring to the PF Central Committee meeting which had been broadcast by ZNBC.
When they got to the institution, they were led to where Mr Maduma was waiting for them in the newsroom and he showed them a copy of the story which he had edited.
They alleged that they did not go there without prior arrangement with Mr Maduma and that they did not go to the newsroom at their own insistence but at the invitation of Mr Maduma.
The trio further claimed that it did not speak with anybody else regarding why they went to ZNBC apart from Mr Maduma.
They said that they were on Monday shocked when ZNBC and Dr Mulwila broadcast a false statement that they stormed the studio of ZNBC, harassed staff and uttered tribal insults against the staff.

. Kasolo

They were also surprised that Dr Mwilwila accused Mr Kasolo of interfering with the operations of ZNBC.
The three said that the statement by Dr Mwilwila has damaged their reputations as professionals and negatively portrayed them to the world as persons who cannot reason with dictatorial characters.