Chipimo blocked from Radio Mano

Some suspected Patriotic Front sympathizers this morning blocked National Restoration Party (NAREP) president Elias Chipimo Junior from holding a programme on Radio Mano community radio station in Kasama.

The sympathizers mostly youths accused Mr. Chipimo of wanting to use the radio station to advance his political agenda at a time when the people in the area were observing the burial of late Paramount Chief Chitimukulu of the Bemba speaking people.

They charged that they would not allow the NAREP leader to go ahead with his interview on Radio Mano until the mourning period of the late Chitimukulu was over.

But Mr. Chipimo complained that he had allegedly been denied access by the PF to enter the radio station premises for a programme he had already paid for.

He said it was unfortunate that opposition political parties in the country were prevented from expressing their views on national matters through the media.

Mr. Chipimo said Zambia is a democratic country and citizens should be allowed to enjoy their freedom of expression.

He has since advised the PF leadership to sensitize their members to desist from engaging in violent acts, as the practice is detrimental to the country’s democratic dispensation.

But PF regional secretary Evarist Chela has distanced the ruling party from the unruly youths that blocked Mr. Chipimo from appearing on a programme on Radio Mano Community Station.

Mr. Chela said the PF is a democratic party that would not allow its members to engage in

violent acts.

He advised Mr. Chipimo to feel free and exercise his freedom of expression and offer constructive criticism to the Government.