Melo News | Tuesday, July 9, 2024 | Lusaka
The Permanent Secretary of Information and Media, Thabo Kawana, expressed disappointment over the prevalence of deceit and propaganda in the country. This comes after an audio recording went viral, featuring Mr. Kawana and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Dickson Matembo discussing the abduction of Petauke Central Member of Parliament Emmanuel Banda.
Mr. Kawana clarified that their meeting with Mr. Banda was not uninvited, as they were called by the lawmaker’s family, which included his sister and Chief Mumbi of Petauke. During a press briefing, Mr. Kawana revealed that Mr. Banda proposed signing a Memorandum of Understanding, offering to tell the truth if charges against him were dropped.
However, Mr. Kawana stated that they did not accept the suggestion, emphasizing that Mr. Banda was free to speak the truth, especially since State House officials were implicated in the abduction case. Additionally, Mr. Kawana mentioned that Mr. Banda’s family requested the government to keep him at Maina Soko Medical Centre for his safety.
At the same press briefing, Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Dickson Matembo urged the media to conduct thorough investigations into stories. He also addressed calls for himself and Mr. Kawana to resign, stating that such demands should be supported by factual evidence.
