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DE RUEHLS #1302/01 2681232
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251232Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3217
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUSAKA 001302 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ZA
SUBJECT: ZAMBIAN ELECTIONS - INDEPENDENT DAILY NEWSPAPER 
ATTACKS SATA 
 
REF: A. LUSAKA 1264 
     ¶B. 05 LUSAKA 1581 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary and introduction.  Zambia's only 
independent daily newspaper, The Post, whose editor Fred 
M'membe has been jailed for his editorial criticism of 
President Mwanawasa (Ref B), has taken an increasingly harder 
line against presidential candidate Michael Sata as election 
day nears.  A number of recent editorials in the paper have 
harshly criticized Sata's promise to drop corruption charges 
against his political supporters, notably former President 
Frederick Chiluba, former Intelligence boss Xavier Chungu, 
and others.  The Post has not given an outright endorsement 
to any candidate, but its sharp attacks on Sata may help 
ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) President 
Mwanawasa's candidacy.  M'membe may have come to the 
conclusion that Mwanawasa is the lesser of two evils.  It is 
not clear how strong an impact the editorials will have on 
voters, because the majority of Zambians regularly get their 
news and information by radio rather than through the print 
media.  End summary and introduction. 
 
¶2. (U) From mid-September onwards, editorials in Zambia's 
sole independent daily newspaper, The Post, have criticized 
Patriotic Front presidential candidate Michael Sata with 
increasing vigor.  On September 14, the editorial, entitled 
"Sata is not our messiah," criticized Sata's pledge to stop 
the prosecutions for corrupt activity of former Zambian 
president Frederick Chiluba, former Chief of Intelligence 
Xavier Chungu, Access Financial Services CEO Faustin Kabwe 
and others, noting "it is not difficult for anyone to realize 
or guess why Mr. Sata today has become the most ardent 
defender of people who plundered public resources.  This is 
simply because they are his financiers."  The column also 
noted, "in 2001 we saw Sata as national secretary of the MMD 
unleash a corruption-funded thuggery on Chiluba's political 
opponents within the MMD.  Ministers who did not agree with 
the third-term campaign--which Sata was championing--were 
being beaten and harassed in all sorts of ways Mr. Sata 
defended Chiluba at a time when an impeachment motion was 
filed against him.  His defence of Chiluba had nothing to do 
with principle. He was positioning himself to be anointed as 
successor." 
 
¶3. (U) After Chiluba's formal endorsement of Sata's campaign 
for president was announced and covered in the local media on 
September 18, the Post attacked Chiluba more directly.  On 
September 20, the daily's banner headline quoted former 
minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Dipak Patel: 
"Chiluba and his Crooks Must Be Stopped--Dipak" and its 
editorial, entitled "We shouldn't vote for corruption" began 
with: "What makes these plunderers think that the same 
Zambian people who in 2002 wanted Frederick Chiluba's 
immunity removed so that he could be prosecuted together with 
his tandem of thieves have changed their minds and want them 
back in power?"  The editorial also noted, "Sata and Chiluba 
should not forget that it is these same Zambians that they 
are trying to abuse that stopped their third term bid.  They 
tried every trick in the book but it did not work.  The 
question we must ask is why are they so confident that 
Zambians have forgotten?  How can a thief like Chiluba stand 
on a platform and energetically declare--with a clenched fist 
(the PF symbol) that Zambians should vote for Sata because he 
has suffered enough...We must all realize that if we don't 
all do our part to stop this nonsense, the criminals will be 
back with a vengeance, controlling the instruments of power. 
That's all they want.  It is our collective duty to fight 
this corruption that is about to reinstate itself.  We have a 
citizenry responsibility not to vote for corruption." 
 
¶4. (U) On September 21, the Post recalled a Chiluba-era 
scandal with its front-page headline, "Chiluba was behind 
Maize Scam-Mahtani" and the editorial, entitled "Twachula 
Pafula" (we have suffered a lot) read: "Those who thought the 
Zambian people are fools and can be endlessly manipulated are 
in for a rude awakening or shock...Frederick Chiluba thought 
his cheap propaganda would be received favourably by the 
Zambian people...(but) the Zambian people know Chiluba for 
what he is - a crook, a demagogue."  The editorial lists a 
number of verbal attacks Sata made on Chiluba's corruption in 
2002, 2003, and 2004, and then notes, "They (Sata and PF 
General Secretary Guy Scott) are saying they are going to 
pardon plunderers, what kind of nonsense is this?  If, as 
they want the public to believe, they want to work for the 
lowly people of our society, what about the other prisoners 
who are in jail-people who stole a loaf of bread?  Is this 
the kind of government they want to give our people?  The 
more you steal the better you are treated!" 
 
¶5.  (U) On September 22, the Post editorial, "Cheap 
demagogy," began with: "We have said it before and we say it 
 
LUSAKA 00001302  002 OF 002 
 
 
again -with absolute honesty and total conviction-that 
Frederick Chiluba is a shameless thief."  It also attacks 
Michael Sata: "Zambians should not be cheated by the demagogy 
that Sata is engaging in.  This man will say anything to be 
elected but Zambians will not be fooled. Today Sata and 
Chiluba want to pretend that Chiluba's case is not finished 
because the prosecution have failed. What nonsense! It is 
because of these cheap lies and propaganda of the plunderers 
and their accomplices that this newspaper took the expensive 
decision of publishing the court proceedings in 
full-verbatim. We want the Zambian people to read for 
themselves and see what the plunderers did and are saying. 
Our archives show that Chiluba and his tandem of thieves have 
used every trick in the book to delay the court cases.  It is 
nonsense to suggest that they are innocent because no court 
has convicted them.  Sata's defence of the plunderers is 
nothing but cheap demagogy." 
 
¶6.  (U) September 25's front page headline in the Post 
heralded Sata's "U-Turn" on his pledge to halt corruption 
prosecutions, reporting that Sata stated he would not stop 
the fight against corruption, and that he would seek 
"justice."  The editorial, "Watch satanic deeds," comments 
that Sata's "apparent U-turn on this subject cannot fool us. 
It goes to prove everything we have been saying.  This man 
has no principles.  It is the same mouth that only yesterday 
was promising to defend Chiluba that is today saying he will 
not defend him and his fellow plunderers. Why?... It is clear 
Sata will say anything if it helps him get elected...this is 
why people must listen very carefully to the promises Sata is 
making.  They must ask themselves 'what is this man's true 
legacy?'  It is true he has done some good here and there. 
But his destructive traits far outweigh any benefits.  Who 
wants to return to the vigilante days?  Who want to return to 
the days when the corrupt, the crooked and the most shrewd 
reign supreme?...No one should believe the satanic pie in the 
sky promises.  We all know this man and his satanic deeds. 
His deeds are there for all to see.  They speak of him and 
who he is.  Watch satanic deeds." 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment.  Post editor, Fred M'membe, has long been a 
thorn in the side of President Mwanawasa--so much so that he 
was charged with defamation of the president  and jailed in 
November 2005 (though the charges were dropped, quietly, in 
February 2006).  His harsh criticism of Mwanawasa's closest 
contender in the presidential race demonstrates a growing 
concern over Sata's increasing popularity, and likely, 
M'membe's calculation that a second term for Mwanawasa would 
be the lesser of two evils.   It is not clear if the Post's 
strong editorial stance against Sata will sway many voters. 
Although the Post enjoys a larger circulation and readership 
than either of the two state-run daily newspapers, a 2005 
Afrobarometer survey indicates that Zambians are more likely 
to get their news daily or several times a week from the 
radio (81 percent) than from TV (39 percent) or newspapers 
(24 percent).  In addition, an opinion poll by the Steadman 
Group released in early September 2006 (Ref A) indicated that 
corruption was not considered an important issue by a 
majority of Zambian voters. 
MARTINEZ