The Post (Zambia)

Last updated
The Post
ZAMBIA POST LOGO.jpg
TypeDaily newspaper
Format Tabloid
Owner(s)Post Newspapers Ltd.
Editor Fred M'membe
Founded1991
Political alignment Left wing
Headquarters Lusaka
Website www.postzambia.com

The Post is an independent Zambian newspaper. It was one of the three primary newspapers of the country. The newspaper was set up in 1991. [1] The Sunday edition of the post newspaper was called the Sunday Post and contained a special section focusing on education called Educational Post. [2] The Post was seen to be the most popular and biggest selling newspaper in Zambia according to BBC. The newspaper was closed in 2016 for failure to settle tax obligations in what has been described as a politically motivated move over the paper's frequent criticism of the government. [3]

Contents

History

Fred M'membe founded The Post in 1991 as a weekly Lusaka newspaper, along with three co-founders Mike Hall, John Mukela and Matsautso Phiri. As an accountant, M'membe was appointed managing director of Post Newspapers Ltd and tasked with developing the business, while the others focused on editorial content. It soon started publishing countrywide. By 1996, it had started publishing Monday to Friday.[ citation needed ] By 2000, the newspaper was publishing daily and had become the most politically outspoken newspaper. It is believed to have helped stop the then-president Chiluba from changing the constitution to enable him run for a third term.

In recent years, the post newspaper had become a voice of the people. Many Zambians have expressed views about the government which they wouldn't have expressed in the Zambian-government owned medias. Notable critical writings includes:

The Post has also been involved in wrangles against the Zambian government. In 2001, Fred M'membe was arrested for calling the then president, Chiluba a thief. [9] This case was disposed off by President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa in 2002. In 2005, Fred M'membe was again arrested for defamation charges "following an editorial in which he wrote that Mwanawasa was a man of "foolishness, stupidity, and lack of humility". [10] In 2009, Fred M'membe has been indicated for contempt for publishing an article by Cornell Law School professor Muna Ndulo, titled "The Chansa Kabwela case: a comedy of errors." [11] [12]

Related Research Articles

The history of Zambia experienced many stages from colonization to independence from Britain on October 24, 1964. Northern Rhodesia became a British sphere of influence in the present-day region of Zambia in 1888, and was officially proclaimed a British protectorate in 1924. After many years of suggested mergers, Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland were merged into the British Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Zambia</span> Political system of Zambia

The politics of Zambia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president of Zambia is head of state, head of government and leader of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. Formerly Northern Rhodesia, Zambia became a republic immediately upon attaining independence in October 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Chiluba</span> Former President of Zambia (1991–2002)

Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba was a Zambian politician who was the second president of Zambia from 1991 to 2002. Chiluba, a trade union leader, won the country's multi-party presidential election in 1991 as the candidate of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), defeating long-time President Kenneth Kaunda. He was re-elected in 1996. As he was unable to run for a third term in 2001, former Vice President Levy Mwanawasa instead ran as the MMD candidate and succeeded him. After leaving office, Chiluba was the subject of a long investigation and trial regarding alleged corruption; he was eventually acquitted in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levy Mwanawasa</span> Former President of Zambia (1948–2008)

Levy Patrick Mwanawasa was the third president of Zambia. He served as president from January 2002 until his death in August 2008. Mwanawasa is credited with having initiated a campaign to rid the corruption situation in Zambia during his term. Prior to Mwanawasa's election, he served as the fourth vice-president of Zambia from November 1991 to July 1994, whilst an elected Member of Parliament of Chifubu Constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Movement for Multi-Party Democracy</span> Zambian political party, dominate 1991-2011

The Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) also known as New Hope MMD is a political party in Zambia. Originally formed to oust the previous government, MMD controlled an absolute majority in parliament between 1991 and 2001, when its past leader, Frederick Chiluba was President of Zambia. Its election into power in 1991 ended the 27-year rule of President Kenneth Kaunda and his United National Independence Party (UNIP). It remained the dominant party within Zambian politics until the general elections of September 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Zambia</span> Head of state and of government in Zambia

The president of Zambia is the head of state and the head of government of Zambia. The office was first held by Kenneth Kaunda following independence in 1964. Since 1991, when Kaunda left the presidency, the office has been held by seven others: Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Rupiah Banda, Michael Sata, Edgar Lungu and the current president Hakainde Hichilema, who won the 2021 presidential election. In addition, acting president Guy Scott served in an interim capacity after the death of President Michael Sata.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Zambia</span> Political elections for public offices in Zambia

Elections in Zambia take place within the framework of a multi-party democracy and a presidential system. The President and National Assembly are simultaneously elected for five-year terms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Zambian general election</span>

General elections were held in Zambia on 28 September 2006 to elect a President, members of the National Assembly and local government councillors. The result was a victory for the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy, which won 75 of the 150 National Assembly seats and whose candidate, Levy Mwanawasa, won the presidential vote. Voter turnout was just over 70%.

Lt. Gen. Christon Tembo was a Zambian politician and army commander. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 1996 and the sixth vice-president of Zambia from 1997 to 2001. He ran for president in the December 2001 election and took third place, with about 13% of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Sata</span> Zambian politician (1937–2014)

Michael Charles Chilufya Sata was a Zambian politician who was the fifth president of Zambia, from 23 September 2011 until his death on 28 October 2014. A social democrat, he led the Patriotic Front (PF), a major political party in Zambia. Under President Frederick Chiluba, Sata was a minister during the 1990s as part of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) government. He went into opposition in 2001, forming the PF. As an opposition leader, Sata – popularly known as "King Cobra" – emerged as the leading opposition presidential contender and rival to President Levy Mwanawasa in the 2006 presidential election, but was defeated. Following Mwanawasa's death, Sata ran again and lost to President Rupiah Banda in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rupiah Banda</span> President of Zambia, 2008 to 2011 (1937–2022)

Rupiah Bwezani Banda was a Zambian politician who served as the fourth president of Zambia from 2008 to 2011, taking over from Levy Mwanawasa, who died as the sitting president. Banda was an active participant in politics from early in the presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, during which time he held several diplomatic posts.

Godfrey Miyanda is a Zambian politician and former military figure. In 1993, he served as the fifth vice-president of Zambia under Frederick Chiluba's administration. Miyanda professes to be a born-again Christian. He is married to Angela Miyanda. They have four children.

Emmanuel Kasonde was a Zambian economist and politician who served as the Finance permanent secretary or Minister of Finance under three successive Zambian presidential administrations, including Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba and Levy Mwanawasa.

Dipak Kumar A. Patel is a Zambian politician of Hindu Indian origin. His ancestral roots traces back to Gujarat, India. He served long tenures both as a legislator and as the Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Industry.

Chansa Kabwela is a Zambian journalist, and news editor of the Zambia Post newspaper, who came to wide attention after her arrest on obscenity charges. Kabwela had distributed graphic images of childbirth to government officials to illustrate the effects of a Zambian nurses' strike. Kabwela was acquitted of the obscenity charge.

Fred M'membe is a Zambian journalist known for his editorship of the Zambia Post. He has received numerous international awards for his reporting. In 2000, the International Press Institute named him one of its World Press Freedom Heroes.

Steven Lungu was a former Zambia Army Captain who in 1997 together with the late captain Jack Chiti attempted a coup d’état during the rule of the then-President, Dr Frederick Chiluba.

Vera Tembo is a Zambian politician and member of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD). She served as the First Lady of Zambia from 1991 until her separation from her former husband, President Frederick Chiluba, in 2001.

Mutinta Buumba Mazoka M'membe is a Zambian newspaper owner and politician. She owns the independent publication The Mast.

References

  1. Terms of Use for postzambia.com , The Post
  2. Education The post
  3. "Zambia Tax Authority Shuts Biggest Privately Owned Newspaper". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  4. "The Chansa Kabwela case: a comedy of errors The post
  5. Zambia: Magistrate Orders The Arrest of Newspaper's Editor-in-Chief The Zimbabwean
  6. Two Journalists Face Contempt Charge Business Monitor International
  7. Zambia court lets satirist stay BBC
  8. Zambia: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices US Department of State
  9. "The Round Table | The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs" (PDF). The Round Table. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  10. "Accountability and Public Voice", Freedom House
  11. "Cops attempt to arrest M'membe" , The Post
  12. "The Chansa Kabwela case: a comedy of errors"